Battle For Freedom
by Ansleyrocks
Summary: Roswell/The Covenant/Harry Potter XO. Alex fell; they watched the light dim before them erupting a rage within them. Hogwarts is falling around them and Liz and Caleb stood alone, all that remained of their friends that were destroyed by the war. At th
1. Prolog

Title: Battle for Freedom

Author: Ansleyrocks

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, Roswell, or the Covenant so please do not sue me!

Rating: Teen-Adult

Couples: Liz/Caleb the rest you will have to wait and see

Category: Roswell/Covenant/Harry Potter Crossover

Summary: Alex fell; they watched the light dim before them erupting a rage within them. Hogwarts is falling around them and Liz and Caleb stood alone, all that remained of their friends that were destroyed by the war. At the end a war that has been going on for over two decades reaches its finest hour.

Spoiler Alert!!: Harry Potter Book 7 and below!

Added Note: Takes place during end of Covenant while gang is still in school but for the storyline the members of the Covenant get their powers at 11. Roswell they are all eighteen and seniors and the story flashes back through all that has happened. Harry Potter takes place during the final fight in book 7.

Prolog

The foundation of the ancient castle shook as spells hit the magical walls. The shouts in the distance and flashes of light filled her senses as she stood frozen in place. She could not believe what was happening around her, the life she had been living for the past eight years was being destroyed in front of her as good and evil battled to the death before her eyes. Yet in all of the chaos her eyes remained focused on one point, him. His lifeless eyes once so happy and carefree stared up at her, mocking her.

"Liz come on we have to go." Caleb said grabbing her arm pulling her away from the pile of rubble covering her best friend.

"No, I can't leave him." She whimpered.

"Liz, he is dead there is nothing you can do for him except fight for your life and avenge him." Caleb said his dark coffee eyes staring into hers trying to get her to see reason.

"They killed Alex." She whispered tears pooling in her chocolate eyes.

"I know, now are you going to sit here and die or are you going to kill the person who did this to him?" Caleb asked his words so similar to those Potter spoke only hours before in the come and go room. She remembered the events leading up to this moment from the moment she first met Caleb to when he came running into her parents café in Roswell, New Mexico telling her that the final fight was going down at Hogwarts and all Order members were going. She had kissed her dad on the cheek and her and Alex had raced out of the café leaving behind confused friends and terrified parents.

"I am going to kill them." Liz said her voice hard as she grabbed Caleb's hand the two of the running purposefully down the main stairs and outside of Hogwarts onto the school grounds. Flashes of green light erupted all around her, forms of students, professors and deatheaters falling about.

"Let's do this." Caleb said raising his hand in sync with hers. His coffee eyes turned jet black as he prepared to use his powers and her deep chocolate eyes turned onyx as well as the two unleashed their powers on the deatheaters around them. Then the fighting stopped suddenly startling the two teens until they heard the hissing voice of the Dark Lord booming over the school grounds the ultimatum he delivered, Potter or they all died.

Caleb grabbed Liz's arm leading her back into the Great Hall of Hogwarts where everyone other than the deatheaters was assembled. Looking around at the faces around her she noticed several were missing, Alex, Reid, Tyler, Pogue, Lupin, Tonks, Sirius, one of the twins, Katie Bell, and Serena were the ones she noticed right away; several unfortunately had been long dead for months if not years. As the group waited for the deatheaters to do something Liz was stuck thinking about her fallen friends and what brought her into the fight, what led her to the battle for her freedom and it all started eight years ago in Roswell, New Mexico in her parents café.


	2. The Past Secrets

**Hey guys thanks so much for reading I hope you like this! Please let me know what you think of this new part!**

Part 1: The Past Secrets

Elizabeth Parker was a bright child, always inquisitive and noticed small things around her that others did not. This unnatural observance for a child led to her discovery that her mother Nancy Parker was not her mother. It was when she was six and had first used accidental magic that her father was forced to tell her the truth. That he was a wizard and that her birth mother was a witch, a witch named Bellatrix Black Lestrange. After pressuring her father for months he reluctantly agreed to take Liz to Azkaban wizard prison to visit her mother.

She still remembered the feeling of Azkaban, it was cold and lifeless and the cheer in her had been replaced by turmoil and despair. It was rather traumatic for a six year old to feel as if she was never going to be cheerful again and then the grizzly sight of her birth mother put more fear of the prison in the young girl.

Liz knew that her mother was not in love with her father but she had hoped that her mother would at least love her in a way that Nancy Parker never could. Upon seeing her mother Liz could not deny the instant connection to the woman with long raven hair and porcelain skin whose dark and heavy lidded eyes matched her own. Liz remembered her mother crawling across the stone floor of her cell in a crazy manner before resting in front of the small girl, even in her craze she stared in awe at the little girl before her. "Mommy." Liz had breathed eliciting a gasp from the woman who had once been an extraordinary beauty but six years in Azkaban had easily taken away her glamour.

"Lizzie." Liz still remembered the dark voice of her mother, croaking from little use except to scream, and rich with something unknown to Liz at the tender age of six. Every year after Liz and her father made the trip to Azkaban prison to visit her mother who looked worse each time. It was not until she was nine when Liz asked her father what the funny tattoo on her mother's arm meant.

Jeff Parker explained to his young daughter the reason her mother had been locked away all those years ago. He explained who her mother was and all that she had done hating that with each word he destroyed the image his daughter had of her birth mother. Liz did not stop caring for her birth mother but she no longer held the fantasy that her mother had been wrongfully imprisoned. It seems her best friend Alex Whitman had similar issues to deal with. When she was nine her father told her how her and Alex were cousins, her mother and his birth father were cousins and both loyal to someone named Lord Voldemort and it was because of him that they were both serving life sentences in Azkaban Prison. Ever since they were nine, Liz and Alex formed a unique bond both knowing that their parents had deceived them for so many years and both knowing that one day they were to attend magic school just like their parents.

"Liz, chica you okay?" Maria asked startling her brunette friend out of her day dream. Eleven year old Liz Black Parker stared at her best friend Maria Deluca giving her an annoyed look.

"I'm fine Ria, just thinking about the history test tomorrow." Liz said when really she was wondering when she was going to get her letter to magic school. It was the spring of her eleventh birthday the year she would receive her letter to the magical school she had been selected to attend.

"Liz this is ridiculous you know all of the material I mean come on you even helped me study you have nothing to worry about." Maria said taking a large gulp of her blood of alien smoothie.

"Hello girls." Alex Black Whitman said coming into the café followed by his mother. To the outsider Alex looked exactly like Charles Whitman his supposed father but to those who had seen Sirius Black, Alex was his son in every way. Both Alex and Liz had inherited the Black looks right down to the smirk that came front and center when they were up to no good. Jeff even had to stop himself at times from calling his daughter Bella when she went into fits of rage and her wild Black eyes showed who her true family was. They were Black's through and through but none of the others in Roswell knew this.

"Hey Alex." Liz said looking expectantly at her friend but he merely shook his head no saying he had not received his letter yet. Liz's shoulders slumped as she stirred her smoothie. The bell over the door rang once more and a man in a long sapphire cloak with a silver cane entered the café sniffing the air with disdain.

"Hi welcome to the Crashdown would you like smoking or nonsmoking?" The waitress asked the man making his lip curl in distaste.

"Neither, I am looking for Elizabeth Black Parker and Alexander Black Whitman." The man said gaining the attention of Maria, Liz, Alex, and their parents.

"I'm Liz and this is Alex." Liz said standing up to the strange man looking him dead in the eye ignoring the slight tremors of fear running through her; the mystery of the man intrigued her. The older man removed his blue hat revealing long black hair tied back with a blue ribbon.

"So you are, I am Headmaster Theodore Krane of Salem, might we speak in private?" The man asked looking kindly at the two children.

"Right this way Headmaster." Alex said stumbling off his stool leading the way towards the back room, Maria moved to follow but Nancy held her back as Jeff and Maddie followed their children into the back room. The two had been accepted to Salem School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The headmaster had come personally due to the tense situation involving the parentage of the two pupils and wanted to work out any possible problems since both children had also been accepted to Hogwarts. Jeff and Maddie agreed that Salem was the better choice for their children; less people would know their names and there would be less prejudice towards the children. To Liz and Alex it did not seem long before the spring and summer months went by and they were boarding the train to Salem, Massachusetts where they would stay as full time students until fourteen and then from there they would be part time students using time turners to attend muggle high school and magic school at the same time like many students of Salem did.

Saying goodbye to Maria had been hard but they both promised to write her often letting her know all that they were doing, but not at the same time since she had no idea that the two were attending magic school. It did not take long for the train to reach Salem and soon Alex and Liz were being herded into the school with the rest of the first year students to wait their sorting. Sorting, was something all magic schools did since not all students were alike and some traits stuck out more than others the students were always divided.

"Welcome first years to Salem School of Witchcraft and Wizardry I am Professor Plank and I will be your Dark Arts teacher. Now here at Salem there are four houses and they are Blood, Hawksworth, Lionides, and Fear. Your house is your team, you are all expected to play, and like a game being good and playing hard wins you points and rule breaking earns you penalties and you lose points. At the end of the year the team with the most points wins the Salem cup. Now come with me it is time to be sorted." Professor Plank said. He was a tall man with long blonde hair but he looked no older than twenty five but there was a dark presence around him that warned all of the children that this was not someone to take lightly. He led the children into a large decadent hall where the floor was black onyx and reflected the ceiling creating the illusion that they were walking on nothing. Hundreds of faces stared at the young students all in different robes; Liz noticed that at one long table all the students were wearing a blood red uniform, another table sapphire, the next black, and the last white.

"This is scary." Alex whispered in her ear and Liz nodded in agreement. Professor Plank motioned for all of the students to stand before a sword in a stone as he held a large scroll.

"When I call your names pull the sword out of the stone and depending on the color the stone flashes that is your house." The Professor read many names before Liz was finally called.

"Elizabeth Black Parker." He read, she noticed that several students shifted at the mention of her name as she shakily walked towards the sward and the stone. Taking a deep breath she looked hard at the object before she determinedly tugged.

"_So brave." A voice hissed in her head, it sounded a lot like a snake and a very happy snake at that. "So much anger, passion, knowledge, you want revenge little one for the way your father and mother lied to you. You are cunning and calculating. A bright mind oh yesss I see many great things in your future. Welcome Ms. Black to the house of Fear." _Liz gasped as the stone in the sword turned white and the table at the far right clapped loudly, smirking at Alex she made her way over to the white table. Liz watched waiting for Alex to be called and smiled when he made his way up to the stone and tugged with all of his might. The stone flashed red and Alex made his way over to the Blood house.

"He a friend of yours?" Serena Cornwall asked with a Brooklyn accent, Liz remembered she was one of the first people called.

"Yes he is my best friend and cousin." Liz said giving the girl next to her a calculating look.

"Good, the Blood's are our allies. I would never want to be caught talking to a Hawksworth they are all a bunch of goody goodies. Don't get me wrong us Fear's are not a bunch of evil jerks but we don't exactly use the light path to get what we want." Serena explained.

"Perfect." Liz said giving Serena a large smile, Liz knew she was going to like the girl there was just something about the red head with blue eyes sitting next to her that called to her. Soon the start of the year feast was underway and Liz and Serena talked about their home lives and what they hoped to learn in their lessons. It was at the end of the feast when Liz looked down the table to study who was all in her house, she knew Ryan was the captain and Beatrice or B was his co captain and Chris was Serena's older brother a fifth year student, but there were two in the middle who caught her attention. It was two boys with dark looks, one with short dark brown almost black hair and coffee eyes, the other with long light brown hair and sinister looking brown eyes.

"Serena, who are they?" Liz hissed motioning towards the two boys. Liz saw her new friend's eyes light up.

"Those are two of the sons of Ipswich, my brother talks about them all the time they are supposed to be really powerful or sumthin." Serena said gasping when both boys looked down their way as if sensing their gaze they glanced at Serena before turning their gaze on Liz, Liz held her breath as they took her in before nodding at her and then they continued on with their conversation.

"Theys nodded at you." Serena hissed.

"I know." Liz said blushing slightly.

"Parker this is huge." Serena said.

"Actually it's Black and I don't think it is that big of a deal I mean they are just boys." Liz said. She would be eating those words later on in life that was for sure.

It was not long before the captain's were leading their housemates to their dorms. They had one large dorm with a common room for each house and then each dorm was then divided into sex and then year, Liz and Serena were two of four first year girls in Fear.

"I'm Jasmine Estrana." A tall blonde girl with large brown eyes said, she had a superior air about her but Liz knew that was just an act.

"I am Louise Kinkle." Another blonde, although a great deal shorter, said. She reminded Liz a lot of Maria, they both bounced around a lot and talked a mile a minute.

"Serena Cornwall."

"Elizabeth Black."

"No way you're a Black?" Louise squeaked.

"Guilty." Liz said sitting on her bed.

"Wow." Jasmine said looking as if she was ready to faint.

"Cool right." Serena giggled. "Get this her cousin Alex Black is here too." Serena said making Liz blush once more.

"No way, two of them, this is so cool. Normally the Black's all go to Hogwarts." Louise said.

"Well my dad wanted me here he thought there would be fewer people who knew my name." Liz said.

"That is true we only know your name because we are purebloods." Jasmine said and the other two nodded in agreement.

"Most people here are half blood or less almost all purebloods are in either Fear or Blood." Serena said.

"Yeah well my dad was afraid I was going to run into too many deatheater children at Hogwarts." Liz explained.

"Good point, I don't think anyone here has deatheater parents." Jasmine said.

"Why not?" Liz asked.

"Because according to Voldemort people here at Salem are as good as mudbloods, we were deemed un important." Louise said.

"I guess that is a good thing." Liz said.

"For us it was, our parents fought for the good guys." Serena said making the other two laugh Liz eventually joined in. She knew that these three were going to be her best friends.

Classes soon started and Liz introduced her three new friends to Alex and his three new friends Brian, Seth, and Cory. Liz and Alex soon forgot all about Roswell and the people they left behind.

"Crap I am so late!" Liz squeaked as she raced down the corridor towards her ancient languages class, just as she rounded the last corner she hit a solid mass falling flat on her bottom. "Ow." Liz said rolling onto her side to collect her fallen belongings.

"Ow is right." She heard a guy hiss, she saw a tall blonde with baby blue eyes in a red robe get off the floor.

"Sorry about running into you, I am late for ancient languages." Liz said swinging her bag over her shoulder.

"Reid man what is…" Three other teens rounded the corner two from Liz's house, another in red.

"Oh hey." Her two housemates said Liz recognized them as two of the Sons of Ipswich.

"Hi." Liz said before she looked at her watch once more, her doe eyes widened when she realized how late she was. "Bye." She said before she raced off to class once more, but not before she heard one of the boys say

"So that was her."


	3. Making Nice

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Part 2: Making Nice

Liz sighed as she looked over her notes for her potions test tomorrow. There were so many ingredients and special temperatures, and stirring methods she had to memorize she felt as if her brain was going to melt. Liz shuffled her scrolls around searching for one she had not yet looked over when she felt someone come up behind her.

"Potions test?" A gruff male voice asked from behind her, Liz turned around in her wooden chair and saw one of the Sons of Ipswich standing there with his book bag.

"Unfortunately, there are so many different things to memorize it is frustrating I mean I have been studying for this test for a week and I still don't have the Korkoran potion memorized." Liz huffed shifting her stuff about when she saw him sit across from her at the common room table. The two were the only ones up at that time of night both doing school work.

"Wait you have been studying for a week?" He asked making Liz blush but she shook her head yes. "Well I guess it is safe to say you are a brain." He said laughing slightly as she turned even redder.

"No I'm not." Liz muttered jumping when she heard a groan from the couch.

"She is lying she is a total brain all she does is study." Serena said sitting up tiredly, she rubbed her eyes slightly and saw a startled older boy and a furiously blushing Liz sitting at the table. "Well Liz have fun studying I am going to bed." Serena said patting her shoulder as she marched up the wooden stairs.

"So a friend of yours?" He asked.

"Yeah she is my roommate, Serena Cornwall." Liz said.

"Ah yes Ryan's little sister, he said she was a spitfire." The boy said.

"That she is, she reminds me a lot of a friend from home even my cousin Alex agrees."

"That must be nice having family here." He said.

"It is but he is more of a best friend." Liz explained.

"Oh. So what is your name?" He asked smiling once more when he saw her go red, she seemed to do that a lot.

"Liz Black Parker." She said sticking out her hand which he grasped.

"Caleb Danvers." He said waiting for her to react; he was startled when she did not. His shock must have shown because she looked at him questioningly. "Sorry it's just most of the time when I tell someone my name they freak out." Caleb said laughing slightly.

"Why?"

"Because I am the oldest of the Sons of Ipswich." He said blanching slightly when her nose scrunched up in confusion. "You know a member of the Covenant…" He said his eyes widening when he saw she was still confused. "Wow I have to say this is a nice change; most people around here know what the Covenant is."

"I have heard of you but I don't see what the big deal is." Liz explained and understanding suddenly flashed in his coffee eyes.

"Oh. Well the Covenant is a group of five magical families bound together by our secret, magic. We have been together since before our ancestors came to America and settled the Ipswich colony. Each generation a male heir is born to each of the families. Unfortunately for us the fifth family no longer exists since the last male heir was wiped out during the Salem Witch Trials." Caleb explained.

"That is terrible." Liz gasped.

"We have accepted it. So need any help with your studies?" He asked.

"Yes actually if you wouldn't mind?" Liz asked.

"Not at all." Caleb said giving her a small smile which Liz returned. That night was the start of an interesting friendship.

The next morning at breakfast Liz was surrounded by her three gal pals when she felt a person plop down on her right side. "Morning Liz." Caleb said grinning at the wide eyes of her three friends.

"Morning Caleb." Liz said before glancing at his friend who was grinning at her.

"Pogue Parry." He said catching her gaze.

"Elizabeth Black Parker." She said.

"Nice to meet you, so you're a first year?" Pogue asked looking at the four girls.

"Yes." Jasmine said.

"You?" Louise asked.

"The two of us are third years." Caleb said looking up when he saw four boys approaching in red uniforms.

"Lizzie, Maria sent another letter." Alex said throwing said object in front of the brunette.

"That is the third one this week." Liz muttered.

"Yes well apparently Kyle has taken to shadowing her and Max Evans is brooding around school." Alex said with a roll of his eyes making his three friends laugh.

"She misses us you know." Liz said.

"I know but she needs to learn to get by." Alex said.

"Caleb, Pogue." Two older boys in red approached the table. Liz noticed how all the heads in the hall seemed to follow them.

"Tyler, Reid." Caleb said grinning at his two friends who stopped and looked questioningly at the eight younger kids. Reid looked at Liz before laughing.

"Knock anyone else over?" Reid asked making Liz blush, but she looked defiantly at him.

"Nope you're just special." Liz said making her friends and Pogue laugh.

"Why thank you." Reid said bowing slightly.

"Dude coming from Liz that is not a good thing." Cory said.

"Oh really?" Tyler asked staring at his housemates.

"Really see coming from Liz, special means well slow." Cory said laughing at the boy's confused look.

"What?" Reid asked.

"He means that to me you are special in an eat paste kind of way." Liz said as she picked up her books and left the hall leaving behind four stunned third years.

"She is something else." Pogue said chuckling slightly.

"That she is." Caleb said.

***

Caleb shook his head staring at the stone wall in front of him, his arm securely around Liz. He was surprised that after all that they had been through that Liz still spoke to him let alone let him touch her. The two of them had become fast friends when she first started at Salem and the younger girl had soon become his confidant.

"Have any of you seen Harry?" Ginny Weasley asked.

"No." Caleb said not looking at the young girl in front of him not wanting to see the terror and pain on her pale face.

"You don't think he is going to…" Ginny trailed off not wanting to believe that the hero was going to sacrifice himself.

"He is going to think about it." Liz muttered.

Liz and Caleb watched as several of the Order members carried in the bodies. A strangled sob escaped her when she saw Alex, but it was the next body that came in that had her sobbing on the ground. It was Louise her eyes open staring lifelessly ahead.

"Oh god." Caleb chocked out.

"How did all of this happen Caleb?" Liz asked looking up at him her watery eyes matching his.

"I don't know Lizzie, I don't know." He said pulling her to his chest as he kissed the crown of her head.

***

Liz and Alex's first year at Salem was flying by faster than an angry Hippogriff. The school had started buzzing right away when word of Liz and Caleb's friendship leaked. Everyone was waiting to see what was going to happen between the eldest son of the Covenant and the daughter of the house of Black.

"Yous going to eat that?" Serena asked looking longingly at the cupcake in front of Liz

"No." Liz laughed pushing the sugary goodness towards her friend who snatched it up with frightening gusto.

"Someone is hungry." Pogue chuckled in his gravelly voice. Liz giggled slightly when she realized how much his voice had changed that year. It had gone from a slightly high and boyish pitch to dark and rich and so…masculine. Caleb was no better if anything his voice sounded more like silk to her now than ever. She heard Serena sigh next to her and knew that her friend's thoughts were following hers.

"Shut it Parry I am nervous I have a test next and I eat when I am nervous." Serena pouted taking a bite of the cupcake.

"Pogue never get in the way of my sister and her dessert." Chris called from the other end of the table; Serena's face turned an interesting shade of red as she nibbled at the treat.

"You excited for break Liz?" Pogue asked the little brunette who grinned at him when he brought up her return home.

"Yes, dad said I get to…" The smile dropped off her face when she realized what she almost let slip as she returned to picking at her food.

Caleb looked at her and noticed her unusual behavior. "You get to what?" He asked softly as Pogue shifted in his seat uncomfortably realizing he had touched on a sore subject with Liz.

"I get to visit my mom." She whispered so only the three around her could hear.

"And that would be unusual how?" Pogue asked as Serena gave her friend a sympathetic look rubbing the back of her hand.

"Her mom's locked up in Azkaban." Serena hissed.

"Sorry." Pogue whispered chancing a look at Caleb wanting to see how his friend was going to react to this news.

"Well then it looks like we are going to be doing the same thing this break." Caleb whispered, "My dad is locked in Azkaban as well."

Liz looked up at him with watery eyes feeling stupid for wanting to cry but it was a scary subject for her. "Why?" she asked.

"Well why is your mom in there?" Caleb asked softly.

Liz looked down at her plate and then at Serena who just nodded at her. "My mom was a big supporter of the Dark Lord. She was a member of his inner circle and was well known for her muggle tortures and killings as well as the horrors she put witches and wizards who disobeyed the Dark Lord through. What got her chucked into Azkaban though was the torture of Auror's Frank and Alice Longbottom." Liz said her lower lip trembling slightly. She hated to think of the woman who birthed her like that, the woman whose eyes stared at her every time she looked in the mirror.

Caleb let out a sigh that could rival hers as if his story was much worse. "My dad was powerful and hoards of wizards followed him to the death. His magic consumed him to where he was addicted to using and the ministry had no choice but to lock him up."

"Sorry." Liz said.

"Me too." Caleb said.

Serena looked at Pogue a sly grin on her pretty face. It looked as if their friends had more in common than they thought.


	4. Years End

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Part 3: Years End

Jeff Parker clasped his daughter's hand in his tightly as they made their way through the cold dank halls, screams vibrating off the tick stone walls making his little girl shake. There was no happiness, no cheer only despair. The chocolate he had given his little girl before she entered the wizard prison was wearing off slowly and he knew that their visit with Bellatrix would not be long one. There at the end of the dark hall where two demontors swept by was Bellatrix Lestrange's cell. Liz scurried over to the cell and pressed her face close to the bars looking in.

A woman in a long black and white stripped dress sat huddled in the corner her finger twirling in her dark locks. Her skin was waxier than Liz remembered and the smell was worse making the now twelve year old Liz gag slightly.

"Hi mommy." Liz whispered not wanting to scare her.

Bellatrix froze in her corner and peaked out from behind the veil of her dark wild hair. Her dark eyes met Liz's and a ghost of a smile appeared on her face. Jeff patted his daughter on the back. "Sweetie you say hi to mom I am going to go and see Rod." Jeff whispered and Liz nodded watching as her mother slowly crawled across the floor like an animal but her movements were slow and precise.

"Lll Lizzie." The husky voice of her mother croaked, her voice only used to screaming.

"Hi mom." Liz breathed gently reaching out a hand through the bars. Liz watched as her mother's dark hollow eyes widened in wonder at the small hand as her pale clawed hand gently reached up to touch the extended appendage. Liz gasped at the cold feeling of her mother's hand but kept it up as her mother pulled back in surprise at her warmth.

"Mom I started school, magic school. I am going to Salem in the States and it is so much fun." Liz babbled a surprising joy overtaking her in the depressing prison. "I have made so many friends they are really great. My best friend is Serena she is tough and speaks her mind about everything; if she thinks it she says it. I also made friends with some older students; I am the closest to Caleb Danvers though." Liz said watching as her mother's eyes flashed with vacant recognition at the name.

"James." She breathed and Liz nodded eagerly.

"Right mom that is Caleb's father. He and his friends are great and they protect my friends and I from those older students who try and pick on us first years. Reid Garwin hexed a boy for me once!" Liz said as her mother grabbed her hand again.

"Need need need ta be good Lizzie." Her mother muttered, "Gotta be strong and and learn all you can. School is different."

Liz squeezed her mother's cold bony hand and nodded. "I know mommy." Liz whispered as her father appeared at her back gently tugging on her shoulder. "I have to go now. Love you." Liz whispered as Bella sulked and crawled back to her corner.

Jeff dragged Liz along the corridors to the apparition point where witches were coming and going. Liz clutched her father tightly watching the flow network fireplace as a mother and son exited the fireplace. Liz gasped when she saw Caleb. "Caleb." Liz called startling her father and the other boy.

Caleb grinned when he saw Liz and waved at her. "Hi Liz. Mr. Parker." Caleb said nodding at the older gentleman.

Mrs. Danvers looked pleased when her son said that the girl was Liz. "Ah so this is the Liz I have been hearing so much about." The woman said much to Jeff Parker's chagrin. "Evelyn Danvers." She said extending her hand to the young girl.

"Elizabeth Black Parker." Liz introduced herself ignoring her father's groan at her inclusion of Black in her name.

"Come on Liz your mother is expecting us." Jeff said.

Caleb watched as Liz flinched at the term mother, he knew that Nancy Parker was a sore spot for Liz. She still considered the woman her mother but there was now a barrier between them that Liz had never noticed before. "See you after break." Liz said before her father apparated away with a pop.

Caleb looked at his mother who gave him a rare grin, "I see what you mean. We will have to do something about that later." Evelyn said.

***

Too many dead faces glared up at her, their faces frozen in pain and terror would haunt her forever. Liz and Caleb stood off to the side of the hall watching the people run about looking for their loved ones, they had already claimed their dead; all they had left was each other.

"Have you seen Harry?" A frantic voice called to them. Caleb turned and saw the youngest Weasley appraising them with panicked tears rolling down her pale cheeks.

"No." Caleb whispered watching as her face crumbled in despair.

"He really went to them." She whimpered hugging herself not realizing her emotional display was making the duo uncomfortable. They had never been close to the girl and her family, their different upbringings and ages kept them apart.

"He is probably searching the grounds with the others." Liz offered but Ginny just shook her head frantically.

"No something is wrong I can feel it." Ginny whispered.

"It is probably nothing." Liz said. Ginny looked at her through narrowed eyes, not the reaction they were expecting.

"What do you know about it?" Ginny snapped, "It's not as if you have ever been in love or ever felt the way I do about Harry. People who are in love can just sense these things." Ginny snapped at Liz who had long since learned to tolerate the outbursts from the redheaded family.

Liz chanced a glance at Caleb, "yeah I guess you are right." She whispered.

***

First year was coming to an end far sooner than Liz and Alex would have liked. Exams started Monday and Liz was frantic as she studied with Caleb. Their friends would laugh at how similar the two really were.

"Where are my note cards?" Liz asked Serena who was finishing up the last inch of her scroll for Dark Arts.

"I don't know make new onez." Serena grumbled. Pogue who was sitting next to Caleb at the table set down his quill and grinned. Caleb looked up at her tone and his dark eyes widened. Pogue chuckled softly, this was what he had been waiting for.

"I just can't make new ones Serena they took forever. I had even charmed them to flash the answers. I don't have time to make new ones because then my schedule would be thrown off and then I would not be able to study everything and I will fail my exams. I am going to fail now that I don't have my flash cards!" Liz shouted the common room now silent watching the show as Pogue laughed into his spell book.

Caleb looked at his friend and rolled his eyes, "Give them back Pogue" Caleb hissed when he finally figured out why his friend found the whole thing so funny.

Liz's head whipped in Pogue' direction her hair flying about as she pinned him with a death glare that easily silenced him now that her furry was directed at him and not Serena. "You took my flash cards?" She asked in a vicious snarl her upper lip curling over her teeth.

Pogue stared at her with wide eyes as he nodded. Liz whipped out her wand before the older witch even knew what was happening and pointed it right at his heart. "Hand them over now and nobody dies." She growled. Pogue quickly bent down to retrieve his bag as he scrambled to do as she said.

Liz stretched out her hand for the cards and when they hit her hand she removed her wand; Pogue visibly breathed a sigh of relief when he was no longer at wand point. Liz might be a first year but she was at the top of her class and knew spells she was not supposed to; not exactly the witch to anger.

"So Liz excited to be going home?" Caleb asked now that the young witch had calmed down to a dull roar.

Liz looked down biting her lower lip as she shook her head, "Why not?" Serena asked twirling her quill between her fingers.

Liz shrugged, her attack on her lip more pronounced. "I am going to miss everyone." Liz whispered. Pogue glanced at Caleb and smirked at the soft giddy smile he was trying to hide.

"Don't worry little Black we will owl you all the time." Pogue said grinning when he saw a soft blush stain her olive cheeks.

"Thanks. Alex and I are going to need contact since our parents, who are the only magical people in Roswell, are not too fond of sharing the magical experience with us." Liz mumbled tucking a dark strand of hair behind her ear.

Serena grabbed her friend's small delicate hand and gave it a soft squeeze. "Don't worry Liz, my mom will owl your dad to see if you can come and stay with us for a few days." Serena said trying to make her friend happy.

"Liz we aren't going to let you have a full on Muggle summer" Caleb laughed.

"Yeah where is the fun in that!" Pogue chuckled. "Besides if I tell my mom that Elizabeth Black is in desperate need of magical exposure she will go wild and demand to come and rescue you from the muggle life your father is imposing on you." Pogue said smiling inside when jealousy flashed in Caleb's dark eyes. Oh yeah he knew his friend was into the young girl.

"Thanks," Liz sighed, "But I get the feeling my dad is not going to be happy with my magical exposure this summer."

"Why?" Serena asked "I mean he is a wizard he should be happy that you are so excepting of our world and that you fit in so well."

Liz gave her friend and uneasy smile. "I think he is afraid of how well I fit into the magical world." Liz said.

"Why?" Pogue asked his eyebrows knitting together.

Caleb sighed looking at Liz, he understood because his mother had the same reaction as Liz's father. "He is afraid you are going to end up like your mother." He said and she nodded stiffly.

"His greatest fear is that his only daughter is going to end up in Azkaban like his ex." Liz whispered.

***

Caleb watched as Liz emotionally pulled away from him as the little Weasley girl left them. He supposed he had that coming but it still hurt. He hadn't exactly done right by her when it came to their relationship. In the past he had been selfish and used her and in doing so cost himself a best friend.

"I need to go and run something by Longbottom." Liz whispered as she moved away from him.

Caleb looked after her longingly. "Hey mate." Seth Lavanue a seventh year Hogwarts Ravenclaw said sliding up beside him.

"Hey Seth," He whispered still watching as Liz talked to the tall wizard Neville Longbottom.

"After this mess are you going to go after her?" Seth asked proving he was much too observant for his own good.

Caleb ran a hand over his face. "I have a lot of making up to do." Caleb said and Seth nodded in agreement. "She might not want to hear a thing I have to say."

Seth hummed in agreement watching Liz's small form as well. "But first you have to break up with the Muggle." Seth said startling the elder witch.

"How the hell do you know about her?" Caleb asked fear gripping his heart. If everyone knew about Sarah that would really hurt Liz.

"Caleb our mom's have been friends for years and they tell each other everything. When you chose the muggle over Liz your mom had a fit. Of course she told mum who told me." Seth explained.

The burning feeling returned to Caleb's stomach. He knew his mother was not fond of his relationship with Sarah at first but the fact that she still was not happy hurt him. Liz had always been his mother's favorite and she made no secret of it. He had really messed up in the past and he knew it was going to take more than a few words to get Liz to agree to at least spend the day with him.

***

Liz stood at the train station with the other students waiting to get taken back to the city where she and Alex would take a plane back to New Mexico. It was a somber occasion for the duo unlike the rest of the students who were thrilled about getting home for a summer break. The four Sons of Ipswich were especially ecstatic since next year marked the start of their dual enrolment in muggle and magic school.

"Cheer up Liz." Louise sang hugging her arm as they got onto the train.

Liz gave her friend a forced smile which only made her laugh, "You look like yous in pain." Serena said and Louise nodded giggling. Jasmine had her nose buried in a magazine as usual but she did look up and give Liz a sympathetic smile, she knew Liz was silently screaming begging to not go home.

The other four first year boys from Alex's house soon joined them in their cramped compartment. "Mom sent an owl before we left. Apparently we are going on vacation right when I get back." Alex growled.

"You and your mom?" Liz asked and Alex nodded.

"My dad is acting funny now that I know he is not my real father I think he feels weird around me." Alex whispered so no one but Liz could hear him.

"I know my mom is the same way. I mean I guess she always acted different around me and now I know why, I am not hers and she does not like that constant reminder of my father's past." Liz whispered.

"Guess the two of us are just lucky like that."Alex whispered.

"Yeah we both got the short end of the wand." Liz grumbled as the train pulled into the Salem station.

Parents from magical families swarmed the platform searching for their children. The eight friends saw the Sons of Ipswich standing with three men and a woman. Liz and Alex waved by to their friends and headed for the barrier that would take them onto the main street. Caleb and Reid shoved their two friends and pointed to the two twelve year olds.

"By Black!" Reid called and Alex and Liz waved their hands at the four before they took their things and stepped out onto the other side.

"Come on Liz let's grab a cab and go home." Alex whispered.

The flight was only a few hours and the two Roswell preteens found themselves at the Las Cruces airport where Liz and Alex's parents were waiting for them. Liz groaned when she saw the bags next to Alex's mom it looked as if they were really leaving right away. Charles took Alex's trunk while Alex kept his suitcase. "Say goodbye Alex." His mother instructed her eyes tired as she stared at her son. Alex pouted as he hugged Liz.

"See ya Lizzie." Alex whispered.

"By Al." She said before she went to her father.

"Come on Liz let's go home Maria and Kyle are waiting for you at the café." Jeff said cringing when he saw his daughter's pout. "Hey now none of that." Jeff warned his daughter.

"I miss my friends." Liz huffed sliding into the back seat of her father's car.

"Well you will get to see Maria and Kyle soon enough." Nancy said and Liz scoffed at that.

"No I miss my other friends. I miss looking at Witch Weekly and Gossiping Gargoyles with Jasmine, playing games with Louise and sitting around with Serena talking about nothing and everything. Heck I even miss Pogue picking on me." Liz pouted.

"Oh is Pogue your boyfriend." Nancy sang looking excited.

Liz let a small smile cross her face at that. "No way he is totally like a brother to me." Liz said. Thinking about her friends was depressing her further. Liz leaned her head against the window feeling sad. It was going to be a long summer.


	5. Summer Letters and Secrets

**hey guys thank you all so much for your feed back on this story so far it keeps me at my computer writing! Please let me know what you think of this new part!**

Part 4: Summer Letters and Secrets

Maria had yet to leave her side since she returned apparently the little blonde demon of a human thought it was her obligation to fill Liz in on all the towns gossip. At twelve Maria did not bother with adult matters and instead felt the need to tell Liz who was popular that year and who was not in school making Liz wish more and more that her new school friends were there.

"Liz." Maria hissed nudging her friend in the ribs. Liz looked up sharply from the book she was reading to glare at her oblivious friend. "That cutie Max Evans is like totally staring at you."

Liz glanced in the direction that Maria was blatantly staring at and saw a dark head duck bashfully. "No he isn't." Liz sighed flipping the page of her book again. She had been back in Roswell for three weeks and had yet to receive an owl from any of her friends, she hated to dwell on it but she felt as if she was forgotten.

"Liz put that book away." Nancy hollered at her daughter who was ignoring the girl next to her in favor of losing herself in another world.

"No." Liz said ignoring her mother and Maria as she went back to reading. Maria seemed not to mind as she munched on her fries and flipped through a magazine.

"Jeff." Nancy hissed when her husband came back to the window in the kitchen to drop off an order. "Tell Liz to put that damn book away."

Jeff looked out at the café and saw his quiet daughter reading in the corner booth with her friend. "Liz put the book away now; you and Maria should go and do something." Jeff said. Liz looked up at her father out of the corner of her eyes the dark lidded look she gave him chilled him to his core.

"Bellatrix "he breathed before he shook out of his stupor.

"What?" Nancy asked looking at her husband confused and a little hurt that he had just spoken the name of his imprisoned old flame.

"Nothing." Jeff whispered turning his gaze away from Liz who had put her book away and tapped Maria and the two girls slowly left the café.

"No what was it?" Nancy asked sensing a serious shift in her husband's mood.

Jeff set down his spatula and looked darkly at his wife. "Liz is looking more and more like her mother each day Nancy, and her attitude is becoming frighteningly familiar. I feel as if I am watching Bellatrix's life repeat itself through my daughter."

"What makes you say that other than her looks?" Nancy asked in low whisper mindful of the kids in the café that Wednesday.

"You know how I have been keeping Liz's letters that her friends have been sending her well recently I have started to look at who exactly has been sending her letters and I saw two names in particular that have me worried." Jeff said.

"Who?" Nancy asked.

"Reid Garwin and Pogue Parry."

"Why would they worry you?" Nancy asked watching her husband's eyes nervously dart about.

"Reid Garwin is the nephew of a close friend and brother-in-law of Bella's. Her sister's husband Lucius Malfoy; Reid's mother Loral is Lucius's younger sister." Jeff explained running a free hand through his dark hair, "and Pogue Parry's mother is Helen Rosier. My daughter is making friends with family members of the two people her mother considered close confidants. Her life it taking a path far too close to that of her mother's for my liking." Jeff whispered.

***

Caleb moved away from his position on the wall next to Seth and moved to stand next to Alex's body feeling his hands shake. Life had been so unfair to the man before him, even his death was unfair. "He a friend of yours?" A little man Caleb knew to be Professor Flitwick asked his high squeaky voice oddly subdued.

"Yes." Caleb whispered.

"He is Sirius Black's son yes?" The tiny professor asked and Caleb nodded.

"I went to school with him. He is my best friend's cousin." Caleb whispered a dark lock of hair falling into his eyes. "We have lost too many to this fight."

"That we have lad that we have." The professor agreed. The tiny expressive eyes of the professor roamed over him uncomfortably. "How did you get into this fight?"

Caleb glanced up from staring at Alex's froze face to stare at the professor before his eyes darted to Liz and Neville. "Oh I see." The professor said a small smile on his face.

"Come quick something is happening by the forest!" Someone yelled. Caleb shot up as Liz raced towards him with Neville hot on her heels. Caleb grabbed her tiny hand and they ran outside with the others, Neville, Hermione, Ginny and Ron at the front of the group.

Hundreds of cloaked figures moved away from the trees jeering and dancing as a giant of man came out holding something in his arms. "No." Someone whimpered when they saw the outlines clearer.

"What is it?" A teen asked from behind Liz and Caleb.

"Potter is dead." Liz whispered.

***

"You alright Liz you seem a little off?" Maria asked.

"I am just a little annoyed right now." Liz admitted sitting next to Maria on a swing as the two enjoyed the freedom of the swings.

"Tell Maria all about it." The blonde giggled. Liz bit her soft pink lip thinking about it for a moment and decided that she could tell Maria her problem if she just left a few of the details out.

"Maria you know Nancy is not my mom right?" Liz asked in a soft whisper her voice almost lost to the wind but Maria managed to catch the soft voice. Maria slowed her swinging down and stared at Liz.

"I figured since you are always so distant from her I knew that something was up." Maria admitted.

"Well let's just say that I am starting to feel a little resented. I mean it's like she doesn't know that I can see her glaring at me or muttering under her breath."

Maria sighed grabbing Liz's hand. "You know what they say Liz, adults are stupid. They think they know everything and that us kids are stupid. As if." Maria huffed.

"Even worse is my dad though, it's like every time he looks at me he sees my mother and is disgusted. Even more so now that I am starting to look like her." Liz said feeling her lower lip tremble as the emotions she had been holding in since she came home spilled to the surface. "And I felt as if I had no one to talk to because no one besides Alex understood." Liz said feeling Maria tighten her hold on her hand.

"I will always be here for you Liz even if you just need an ear to vent." Maria whispered.

Liz turned and gave her friend a watery smile tears filling her dark brown eyes. "I don't deserve you Maria I have been so unfair to you." Maria gave Liz a small smile nodding.

"I get it Liz, you have a lot of new friends. Right now you just need to work on finding a balance." Maria said.

Liz swiped at her eyes with her free hand laughing. "How did you get so smart?" Liz asked laughing softly.

"My mom." Maria whispered her green eyes shining in the sunlight. "When you and Alex first left I was so lost and so sure that you were never going to come back to me and there for awhile I was sure that my worst fears were coming true. Then good old Amy sat me down and told me point blank that life was about change and that I had to get used to it. She promised me that you were going to make new friends and that it was just going to take you awhile to find the balance and you would come back to me when you did." Maria said.

"Smart woman." Liz laughed launching herself off her swing to hug Maria sending her backwards off of her swing as the two hugged on the rocks.

Liz returned home later that evening to an empty café at eight at night. Her mother and father were sitting at the counter going over the books. "Hi Lizzie." Her dad called but she just glared at him storming past him and up to their apartment.

"Liz." Nancy called trailing after her. "You alright honey?" Liz's dark eyes glared at her but softened slightly.

"I am having a bad time but I am fine." Liz said turning to leave.

"Maybe there is something I can help you with." Nancy tried but her preteen daughter just brushed her off with a roll of her dark eyes.

"Nope. Not unless you can owl my friends and get them to return my letters." Liz grumbled before she slammed her bedroom door closed sliding down the wood panel feeling her throat tighten as she fought more tears.

Nancy Parker stared at her daughter's door feeling guilty. She knew exactly where Liz's letters were, with her father, and she also knew that there was no chance she was ever going to find out that he was keeping them from her. She could hear the soft sobs from the twelve year old girl on the other side of the door and she felt ill, what used to be so simple was now hard and with each passing day she felt Liz pull farther and farther away from each other.

Liz swiped at her eyes furiously clearing her throat as she stood up and went to her private bathroom to wash up for bed. She was determined not to cry, crying was a weakness and she was not weak. "Come on Liz you are better than this." She whispered as she pulled on her night clothes opening her window to allow the cool summer air of the desert into her hot room. "You are not weak you are not going to be a baby, just get over it." She whispered.

"You know they say talking to yourself is the first sign of going crazy." A deep voice chuckled from her balcony. Liz froze her hand clutching her lace curtain in her small hand in a death grip. Her dark eyes slowly peaked out onto her balcony and a scream ripped from her throat as a face suddenly popped into her view.

"Shh!" Another voice hissed. "Do you want to get us into trouble?" A familiar female voice asked.

"Oh hurry up already." Someone else groaned.

"Pogue? Serena? Reid?" Liz asked making the three chuckle.

"Gee and she has the nerve to call me the slow one." Reid grumbled.

"What the heck are you three doing here, how did you even get here?" Liz asked as Serena pushed her way through the window and into her room and the other two followed.

"We are here to rescue you of course." Serena said looking around her room.

"From what?" Liz asked crossing her arms over her chest when she realized she was in her night clothes.

"From your parents, after you didn't respond to our first hundred or so letters we decided to plan a rescue." Serena explained.

"My mom is down in the ally waiting for us." Pogue said laughing at Liz's stunned expression.

"I didn't get any letters." Liz whispered.

Reid nodded pulling put a piece of parchment. "We know we figured that out after I sent this, thanks to my dad, it was rigged to record who all touched it and then appear back to me a day later." Reid said looking smug, "Cool huh."

Liz took the paper from him and saw the small area where the names were scratched of the people who held it. "Reid, Pogue, Kip, and Jeff Parker." Liz read her lower lip trembling as she read her father's name; he was the one who was hiding her letters from her.

"My dad…"

"Has been keeping your letters from you." Reid nodded. "So Pogue's mom her got royally angry and all Pogue here had to do was ask her to come and bail you out and here we are my lady." Reid said giving Liz a small bow.

Liz sat down on her bed clutching her letter angry tears forming in her dark eyes. "Uh oh wet stuff." Pogue muttered.

"Dude I won't deal with this hormonal teenage girl stuff." Reid said raising his hands in surrender.

"I knew we should have brought Tyler." Pogue muttered, "He is such a girl."

Serena glared at the two as she sat down next to Liz looping her arm around her friend's shoulders seeing the stricken look on her face. She knew that Liz was already in a tizzy from her father never telling her that Nancy Parker was not her biological mother until Liz cornered him and now this, it had to be rough on Liz.

"It's alright Liz." Serena whispered.

Liz shook her head her face reddening as she fought tears. "No it isn't." She whimpered. Liz's dark eyes looked into her friend's lighter ones bitter pain searing in their depths. "Why does he always do this to me?" Liz asked, "Why doesn't he want me to be a part of his world?"

"It is no longer his world Liz and he doesn't like that we are taking you away from him." Serena said.

"Ahem." A woman's voice cleared at Liz's window. Liz's head snapped in that direction and she saw a pretty woman sitting outside a warm smile on her face.

"If I might help here sweetie I think I might be able to give you some insight into what your father is going through. See he knows of a dark past, he lived through a time that killed half of our kind. He sees the new friends you are making and from what little I have learned from Pogue and Caleb it appears you are leading a life very similar to Bellatrix Lestrange's childhood. He is afraid you are going to live her life all over again."

Liz looked at the older woman through a shrewd eye, "You know what my mother was like?"

The woman looked away for a moment a guilty look on her face, "Not much just a little, I was married and in the states by the time she really got going and I went to school in France." She said.

Liz nodded looking away. "Mom can we take her with us? Please?" Pogue begged.

"Pogue Philadorous Parry she is not a dog!" The woman raged glaring at her son who had the grace to blush and look away.

"Philadorous?" Serena snickered looking at Reid who nodded eagerly enjoying his friend's embarrassment.

Pogue glared at the blonde his dark eyes smoldering. "Laughing it up Jamiliah Garwin." Pogue growled.

Reid gasped at his friend, "Dude you promised not to tell! I can't help that my mother has a sick sense of humor." He cried.

Serena snorted into her hand next to Liz as Pogue's mother stifled a laugh. Liz looked at the two women confused. "What is so funny?" She asked her friend who was shaking with barely contained laughter.

"Jam Jammm Jamiliah…" Serena broke off into a fit of giggles. "Jamiliah means fat pig in Urdu and Reid means king so Reid's name means king of the fat pigs." Serena snickered.

Liz looked at the blonde shocked. "Wow and I thought my parents were evil."

***

They were stunned there was no way this could be happening. All they had fought for all they had bled and died for was ruined in one moment. It was all for nothing their last hope of winning was dead in the arms of the half giant.

"No!" Ginny wailed softly when she saw Hagrid set Harry on the floor.

Caleb clutched Liz's hand tightly in his own as he felt her shake. He knew that the dark thoughts clouding his mind had taken over hers as well. Serena's death, Pogue's death, their son…it had all been for nothing because the Boy Who Lived was no longer alive. Their war had come to its finest hour and they were ruined.

"You sssee what I can do. Give up now and I may ssspare you." The Dark Lord hissed a figure moving anxiously at his side.

Liz whimpered when the dark eyed woman came into view, her mother. Caleb knew she was itching to get to Bellatrix, Narcissa, and Lucius and have them make it all better but it was too late their fates had already been sealed.

"Give up now." The Dark Lord commanded.

"No." A strong voice on their side said. Caleb turned and saw Neville Longbottom standing proud and tall at the front of the line his wand raised and pointing at the Dark Lord. Before anyone could comprehend what was happening a spell shot out of the boy's wand racing towards the dark side faster than the others knew was possible as they watched in wonder as the spell collided with the snake around the Dark Lord.

That was it; Caleb squeezed Liz's hand one last time as the last piece of the Dark Lord's twisted soul was destroyed. The deatheaters and Dark Lord were enraged and the battle commenced once more. The two groups charged at one another. A loud horn sounded in the depths of the Forbidden Forest and hoofs clomped in the distance and enraged yells.

"The centaurs." Someone breathed as arrows shot out of the forest connecting with the dark cloaked figures.

Small shrieks of rage rang through the night, one yelling, "For master!" Liz turned and saw hundreds of house elves running out of the castle carrying kitchen knives and whatever else they could find as they protected their school.

Liz turned back to the fight only to be met with a mass of green. A scream ripped from her throat as she froze in place. "No!" Caleb roared watching the spell connect with Liz as she crumpled to the ground. "No." He whispered looking at her face frozen in pain.

Anger and pain flowed through him numbing his body his black eyes flaring with a strange fire. A loud inhuman roar left his throat startling those around him as he rounded towards the deatheaters. "Now you die." He snarled raising his hand jets of energy connecting with foreign bodies eliciting screams of pain and agony.

***

Jeff Parker heard his daughter scream up in the apartment. His wife who had just joined him shared an anxious look as he raced up the stairs tripping as he missed a step before he continued up. He knew that scream it was a scream of fear and it made his blood pump frozen through his veins. He paused before Liz's door and heard nothing, opening the door he saw her room missing several items and a strange woman sitting on his daughter's bed.

"Ah good about time you arrived, I am glad that my son thought ahead to place a silencing charm on Liz's room and have her scream once more when we were done to finally get your attention. " the woman said standing up to wander towards him the dark light of the night finally illuminating her dark features. "You know for someone as paranoid as you are your home is severely lacking in wards. It was easy for my son and his friends to break in."

Jeff pulled out his wand and pointed it at her heart making the woman laugh. "What the truth hurt?" She laughed watching his hand shake.

"Where is my daughter?" Jeff ground out.

"Down in the ally with my son waiting for me. It seems you have been keeping Liz's letters from her and when none of the children received replies from her they became worried. Naturally we came to inspect the situation. Liz was less than thrilled to learn that you were the one keeping her letters from her." The woman sneered.

"You have no proof." Jeff growled.

"Actually we did. It seems Reid is far smarter than people give him credit for and he spelled a piece of parchment to list the names of all who have touched it, your name was on the list but never Liz." The woman said laughing softly when she saw his panic stricken expression. "For someone who is so worried about their child turning out like their mother, you sure are forcing her into situations that are forcing Liz to turn to that side of her."

"I want my daughter back up here now." Jeff whispered.

"I understand but all she wants is a weeklong visit. Why don't we go down to the ally and discuss this with them because the children are the ones we need to convince. "

Jeff scoffed lowering his wand. "They are children they have to do as we say not the other way around." Jeff said.

The woman just raised her eyebrows at him not agreeing or disagreeing. "Sure." She said, "Try convincing my Pogue of that." She whispered moving towards Liz's window.

"Where are you going?" Jeff asked.

The woman was halfway out the window as she paused to look back at him. "Down the fire escape." She said as if it were the most obvious answer in the world. Jeff heard the metal clang on the ladder as she climbed down.

Jeff stood there for a moment unsure of what to do when he finally decided that he needed to climb down his daughter's balcony ladder and go and hash out their problem. Jeff cringed when he looked down and saw a small group assembled off to the side standing in the shadows, one boy looking particularly unfriendly as a strange girl hummed a strange song, the boy next to her picking it up as well until the two started to belt it out.

"Cross my heart and hope to die

I shall fall down dead if I tell a lie

Mother mother come quick

I saw a muggle quick quick quick…" Jeff shook his head when he heard the beginnings of one of the Dark Rhymes that wizards told to their children. The one the two were singing always made him ill when it spoke of muggle killings and brutal beheadings; not exactly the things fairytales are made of.

Jeff finally hit the ground of the dark ally and saw his daughter standing next to the dark teen with ridiculously long hair. When he looked closer he had to fight the urge to shudder, in the dark the duo looked like Bella and Rod.

"Dad." Liz breathed. "These are my friends. Pogue Parry, Reid Garwin, and Serena Cornwall." Liz introduced each of the kids, Jeff mentally breathed a sigh of relief when his daughter introduced the surly looking one as Pogue the one she considered a brother.

"Ah huh." Jeff said crossing his arms.

"They came to make sure I was alright after I didn't reply to their letters." Liz said her voice very calm, surprisingly so.

"Again I know." Jeff said glancing at the woman behind Pogue who was apparently his mother.

"What I don't understand is why you kept the charade up." Liz whispered. "You knew how much I missed them and how badly I wanted to talk to them and yet you continued to keep them from me even when you knew how hurt I was."

"Liz I made this decision as your father and…"

A loud bark of laughter left Pogue. "Some father, you should be so lucky that Caleb isn't here." He seethed moving to continue but his mother touched his shoulder, the teen grit his teeth tightly but stopped.

"Pogue we agreed to discuss this not yell." His mother said and the teen nodded.

"Here is what we propose." Reid said.

"You are in no position to be bargaining here son." Jeff said.

"He might not be but I am." Liz whispered.

"We will deal with our issues later young lady after these people are gone." Jeff said but his daughter just shook her head at him.

"No we will deal with this now and not somewhere you can brush what I have to say off to the side. I have not given you a reason to not trust me and yet you continue to give me reasons not to trust you. Hiding so many things from me…"Liz stopped to take a deep steadying breath. "Here is what I propose. I go with Pogue and stay with his family for a week and then come back home where you will allow me to communicate with my friends." Liz said.

"What if I don't?" Jeff asked knowing he had his daughter cornered after all there was nothing she could do at her age that would really affect him.

"Or I will tell Caleb exactly what you have been doing." Liz said.

Jeff laughed at what his daughter was telling him, as if the threat of sending a silly little boy after him was enough to get him to bend to her childish will. Pogue rolled his eyes at Liz's father. "Caleb is the son of James Danvers…" Pogue watched as the man before him froze, "And judging from your reaction I gather you know what Mr. D is all about. Caleb was very close to his dad growing up so it is reasonable to assume he is very skilled in certain areas." Pogue growled, "Liz is important to Caleb and hurting her is a sin in his eyes, what do you think the son of James Danvers is going to do to you?"

Pogue's mother snorted into her hand behind her son. "Oh Pogue Philadorous Parry be truthful." His mother chastised. "It is not Caleb that Jeff has to fear but Evelyn his mother, well I guess you could fear Caleb since he is the one pulling his mother's strings but that woman is off her rocker." His mother continued to rant.

"Mom." Pogue stopped her with a tap on the shoulder apparently that was the family signal to shut the hell up. "We got it." He whispered and she nodded settling down.

Liz realized the scare tactic was not working and that she had to turn to her daddy's girl routine. "Daddy please." Liz whispered plumping out her bottom lip to pout making sure her eyes filled with tears. "I miss my friends daddy. Please?" Liz asked making her lip tremble.

"Boy you would be one hell of a Slytherin." Jeff muttered looking at his daughter. The older man rubbed his forehead tiredly before he nodded. "One week Liz and then you come home, but you will not pout the rest of the summer."

Liz eagerly agreed as Serena squealed in delight. "Liz thiz iz a great thing my bruda will love this." Liz just raised an eyebrow at her friend.

"You all packed?" Jeff asked and Liz nodded. "Alright see you in a week sweetie." He sighed kissing the top of her head. He didn't know it then but that week away from him was the start of a change for Liz and one that would turn his daughter into someone he would no longer recognize.


	6. Summer Letters and Secrets II

**Wow guys I am thrilled that you are liking this so far! Please let me know what you think of this new part!**

Part 5: Summer Letters and Secrets II

Caleb walked down the street towards his friend Pogue's house where Liz Black Parker was staying. When he saw her three nights ago it was as if all had been right in his world, there was a sudden ah ha moment and he felt all warm and tingly inside. He didn't know what the feeling was but he wasn't about to let it go. Passing through the front gate that had been charmed to allow him entrance he walked towards the back where the Parry Pond was located a place that Liz frequented with the others during her holiday in Ipswich.

Caleb heard Serena and Louise's tell tale shrieks in the distance and the gruff laughter that was Reid's trademark. He paused at the side of the house as he stared at his friends who had come to visit. Liz was sitting on the stone side of the pool her feet dangling in the purple water that smelled of jasmine that Pogue's mother loved, the soft trickle of the pond beside the pool a gentle hum in the background.

"Caleb!" Jasmine and Liz screamed making him laugh, he should have known that they would sense him the moment he was near, it was an uncanny ability of theirs to sense a magical presence.

"Girls!" He greeted his eyes snapping to the new swimsuit Liz was wearing. He heard Jasmine snicker at his stunned expression. "Liz you're wearing…"

"A bikini I know, Serena bought it for me she said it was time to ditch the one piece and show off my twelve year old ass." Liz said watching as the fourteen year old just nodded stupidly still staring at her. She wanted to cover up and hide from his gaze. It wasn't as if she had anything to show off she was still boy like as far as she was concerned. Liz turned away from his gaze and went back to looking at the Witch Weekly magazine with Jasmine.

Tyler came out of the Parry house and stood next to the stupefied Caleb slapping him on the back. "I know man I know." Tyler sighed.

"She has…"

"They are called hips Danvers and she is getting them. We noticed." Tyler chuckled.

"But she is not supposed to…"

"Grow up; well she was going to eventually. Geez I can't believe how attached to her you have become in one year, it is not natural." Tyler scoffed but his giant grin was still in place so Caleb knew he wasn't upset by it. Tyler shoved him over to sit by Liz making him stumble next to her.

"So Liz anything interesting in that gossip rag?" Caleb asked.

"Yeah everyone in the UK is in a tizzy because this is the year Harry Potter is going to start school." Liz said.

"So they finally found him?" Reid asked.

"He was never lost dumb ass." Serena huffed, "Just misplaced by that Dumbledore fool."

"I bet Dumbledore knew where Potter was the whole time." Pogue said silencing the entire group.

"What do you mean Pogue?" Louise asked as she swam closer to the group huddled together.

"Well think about it they say the old man knows everything and nothing can get by him. I find it hard to believe that Black stashed Potter someplace before the Auror's showed up. I bet he stashed the kid with someone he knew wouldn't snitch that they had the Boy Who Lived and he is just waiting to surprise the world with his wonderful return." Pogue said.

Caleb bit his lip and nodded, "Sounds plausible actually and from what my mom has told me about the guy it sounds like something he would do."

"Well that just makes me even more glad that my dad decided to send me to Salem instead of Hogwarts, the headmaster sounds manipulative to me." Liz said.

Caleb and Pogue sent Liz dark looks. "You have no idea Liz." Pogue whispered

***

Bellatrix Lestrange froze in place her fanatical gleam left her eyes in a flash of green as she watched her daughter standing next to the young Caleb Danvers pause before turning in shock as a green jet of light flashed before her striking her in the chest. The air left her as she watched her girl crumple to the ground her face a mask of petrified pain. "No." She whispered not seeing the wands pointing in her direction as people tried to fire spells at her that her husband was deftly deflecting for her. "No."

"Bella." Lucius snapped bringing her back to reality.

"Go find Draco." She whispered her dark eyes trained on the Death Eaters in front of her. "I have work to do." She whispered as the crazy gleam slipped into her eyes again, but there was now a strange pain with it. "And people to kill."

The two Lestrange brothers moved behind Bellatrix forming the tip of a wand as they moved. Wizards and witches alike shrieked in terror at the sight of the three brutal killers moving together fearing that they were the next targets. Bellatrix Lestrange raised her wand, aimed, and fired hitting Krause a deatheater in the chest. The throng of white wizards didn't know what to believe, they thought it a fluke until the Lestrange brothers began firing on their own as well. The death eaters were turning on each other.

***

The week was over before the friends would have liked, but through the week they learned more about each other than they could believe. On their last day in Pogue's study the group of Blood and Fear students fathered together wands present in the room Paul Parry had spelled for his son to block Ministry tracking spells. The lights had been snuffed and only the light of the red orange fire danced around the room sending them into shadow and darkness.

"Pogue mind telling us what we are doing here at midnight in your study in our night clothes?" Tyler asked indicating to his boxers and the dark room.

"Shove it Simms and I will explain." Pogue said adjusting his night pants; he had been a little more prepared for the evening event than the others since he was the one who called it.

"We are waiting." Alex huffed leaning against Liz as she blinked to stay awake.

"Okay well I was talking to my mom earlier and she had said something about how it was so great that we were friends and how she hoped that our close friendships would last forever. Well that got me thinking so I went to my dad and asked him if he knew of a spell that would bind us all together in a sort of pact." Pogue said grinning at what he thought was a brilliant idea.

The group stared at him their mouths hanging open. "You want to bind us together?" Reid asked looking horrified. "Dude that is mean."

"Yeah being bound to Reid for eternity by one pact is enough for me thank." Tyler said, "No need to add another."

"Exactly." Reid said.

"Besides it sounds like blood magic." Caleb said and Pogue nodded sheepishly.

"But it isn't that dangerous and it is similar to our Covenant except we aren't bound by a secret we would be bound by friendship." Pogue said.

"Um I feel like an idiot here but since I was raised a Muggle I think I am justified in asking this, what is your Covenant and what is this binding pact deal?" Liz asked.

"Good question." Serena hummed. "Since you boys are the only ones who know the full details you might want to share with Liz and Alex."

Reid, Tyler, and Pogue all turned to Caleb who saw everyone looking at him and groaned. "Why am I the one that always has to explain everything?" He grumbled.

"Because you are the oldest." Tyler said.

"Now get to it." Reid added.

Caleb shot Reid a dark look but rolled his shoulders back as he prepared for his tale. "There are many Covenant's in existence each is an oath taken by all parties involved binding them together in some way. Back in the time of the Dark Lord's reign his Deatheaters were a Covenant bound by their pureblood principles and all that jazz, there was also some group Dumbledore supposedly ran and they were bound trying to get back and stop the Dark Lord. The original founders of Salem were bound in a pact to teach the young witches and wizards of the States all that they knew same with the founders of Hogwarts. Our Covenant the Covenant of the Sons of Ipswich is an ancient Covenant that dates back to the Old World and ancient times." Caleb explained.

"How ancient exactly?" Alex asked.

"Our families are old enough that we have existed before Merlin and Morgan Le Fay. It has been rumored that our five families were some of the first people with magical cores in them. We don't know where the power comes from but it has always existed in our families." Pogue said his deep voice sending shivers down their spines in the dark room.

"The Covenant of the Sons of Ipswich was one of silence it was silence in keeping muggles from our secret. It existed in the Old World and here. We never let them into our circle and we never marry a muggle." Caleb explained.

"That's harsh." Jasmine scoffed.

"That's the deal." Reid sighed.

"So no one in your families is Muggle born?" Liz asked.

"We never said Muggle born witches weren't allowed in, but Muggle's themselves, no." Caleb said.

"Interesting." Liz whispered.

"So this friendship covenant would be what?" Louise asked rubbing her eyes to try and stay awake. Cory the only other second year boy besides Alex was staring dead into space. Louise raised her hand and waved it in front of his face. "Um I think Cory is dead." She whimpered.

"No he is just asleep." Alex grunted.

"His eyes are open." Caleb pointed out.

Alex snorted as he reached over and pinched his dorm-mate. "Wake up buddy." Alex laughed as Cory blinked a few times a light rose color tinting his cheeks as he looked away from the others.

"Sorry." Cory muttered running a hand through his stray blonde locks.

"Dude you sleep with your eyes open?" Reid asked laughing at his house mate.

"Yeah, my brother used to try and pull pranks on me in my sleep and I found if I sleep with my eyes open he is less likely to do something since it freaks him out." Cory said not looking them in the eye his embarrassment apparent.

"Back on topic here people!" Serena barked twirling a piece of blue hair between her fingers that she recently dyed. "What are the risks and benefits here Pogue?"

"Well it is blood magic so there is a lot of risk involved and we are not that powerful yet so I will need my dad's help." Pogue said not meeting their gaze hating to admit that he would need help.

"What are the benefits of doing this Pogue I mean why do we need a pact?" Caleb asked knowing that if his friend was bringing this up to a group of a people that he had only known for almost a year than he had serious reasons for doing so.

"Well the whole thing with Liz not getting to speak to us and see us really got me thinking I mean there had to be a way around it. Deatheaters were able to be at work one second where there are intense wards and then the next they were together in some unknown location."

Liz sat up straighter at that looking to Caleb to see if what Pogue was saying was true. "Yeah it was a variation on an traveling spell that was bound in their blood, the dark mark." Caleb said.

"Any spell that you use to summon people like that will leave a mark." Tyler cautioned his blue eyes unusually dark. "Not only physically but it will leave a magical signature on you."

"Right but it is dead useful, it is like a portkey but built in. For Liz and Alex whose parents are against all of us being friends it would be great." Pogue said.

"But the ministry." Serena huffed folding her arms across her chest. "Yous know the trouble wez would get in for that and your pops."

"Well to make my mother happy it is a risk my father is willing to take." Pogue said turning to wink at Liz who got to experience his testy mother first hand.

"How would we contact each other and get together with this mark?" Liz asked leaning forward slightly shocking Serena.

Pogue smirked at Liz; he knew that she would be the first to go for it after what her dad pulled. "From what dad said all you have to do is think of the person and touch your mark and it will transport you there." Pogue said.

"Wicked." Louise sighed, "Can you imagine how cool that would be I mean we could like get together like whenever we like wanted." She said.

"Right." Pogue drawled rolling his eyes at her sudden exuberance.

The light of the flickering flame danced over Caleb's calm body; even then he was their leader and the one they all looked to for guidance. "I think we should do it then, even if it is just to keep in contact with each other. This way if one of us is in trouble we can get to them easier."

Pogue looked excited. "My dad also mentioned that the mark would let us know if one of us is in trouble and apparently we would somehow know who it was." The roll of his dark eyes made Jasmine snicker, it was obvious that he didn't buy into that bit of the spell.

"Downside being we can't reverse it right?" Cory asked and Pogue nodded.

"And that would be bad why?" Alex asked.

"Well if someone in here pissed you off enough to want to get away you never could you would always feel them there like a second presence. It would make you crazy." Caleb said watching the twelve year olds shudder at the thought.

Tyler cringed at their reactions but he could understand it after all he had to suffer with constantly being aware of the other three. "Pogue we can't do this to them they are only twelve and I don't think they realize what they are really getting into."

"I think we should do it." Liz said glaring at the teen.

Tyler rolled his eyes at her. "Black sit back and think about this for a minute, do you really want to be connected to Reid and feel him with you all the damn time?"

Liz turned her dark eyes on the blonde she had gotten to know better the past week and her eyes set in determination. "Yes, he is my friend for life."

A brilliant smile spread over his face as her words registered. "Same here." He whispered.

***

Pain and rage raced hotly through his veins as he stared at the war before him. Nothing mattered anymore there was nothing left for him in this world. The mark on his wrist that had been there since he was fourteen tingled on his tan flesh. "We are one flesh." He whispered tracing his finger over what looked like a slightly raised scar. "We are forever."

A soft wind kissed the back of his neck in its comforting touch. As Caleb Danvers stood in the tick of death he could feel the presence of the fallen behind him, he was the last of his Covenant's, the last of his coven. He could feel Liz's soft fingers grazing his arm, hear Serena's throaty laugh mixed with Pogue's bark. He could smell Cory's sweet scent and feel Louise's energy. Reid's snicker tickled his ear and Alex's snorting laugh warmed his heart as he listened to the gentle hum of Tyler's voice guiding him on following Jasmine's light. They were one in life and would be one again in death. The soft scent of cinnamon and baby powder overwhelmed him nearly knocking him over.

"For my family, for my son."

***

Alex looked at Liz his best friend and the one person who was honest with him always. Where she went he knew he would always follow it was their way, if she was going to do this then so would he. "I'm in." He whispered grinning when Liz rewarded him with one of her rare dazzling smiles.

Serena released her blue strand of hair looking at her two friends and then the older boys. "Bring it on."

Louise squealed bouncing in her seat oddly awake for the late hour. "Me too."

"Might as well join that band wagon." Cory sighed.

"Count me in as well." Tyler grinned and Jasmine nodded.

"Me too."

Everyone in the room turned to Caleb who was looking at Liz. "How about it Danvers, you in?"

"I am in. Friends to the bitter end as they say."

Reid snorted across the room, "You make it sound as if we are all going to die horrible and painful deaths."

Caleb gave his friend a forced smile. "Yeah because that doesn't run in our families."

Serena twirled her hair uncomfortably hating the tension that had fallen over the room. "So Parry whenz do ya wanna do do diz?" She asked.

"How about tonight since it is Liz and Alex's last night since their mom and dad gave conditions on how and when they were to return home. I think it is also safe to assume that neither of their homes is connected to the floo network." Pogue said.

"Yeah like my dad wants me shooting out of our fireplace." Liz snorted.

"So that means we have to do it tonight." Pogue said going over to his study door and throwing it open allowing light to spill into the room. The occupants let out yelps of pain as the sudden light stung their eyes. "Dad we're ready."

A tall older and weather-bitten version of Pogue lumbered into the room, Pogue only being a few inches shorter than his father. Paul curled his lip in what the others knew was a smirk after dealing with Pogue for a short time. "Everyone ready to get their griffin on?" He asked.

Serena snorted and the others snickered. Pogue rolled his eyes at his dad but nodded anyway. Paul Parry grinned and pulled a book out from behind his back. Reid flew back in his seat confused. "Whoa papa Parry where the hell were you hiding that shit?"

"I pulled it outa my ass Reid where do you think I was hiding it?" Paul drawled.

"I love'em." Serena sighed making the older gentlemen wiggle his eyebrows.

"Yuck." Pogue groaned.

"He was holding it in his other hand Reid." Caleb laughed.

Paul grinned at Caleb. "Thank you Caleb my favorite son." Paul chortled.

Pogue glared at his dad, "Hey I am your favorite."

"Only because you are biologically mine." Paul admitted and Pogue nodded adjusting his pants as if trying to reassure himself that he still wore the pants of the favorite.

"But we all know I am your mother's favorite Pogue." Tyler sang flashing his pearly whites.

"Yeah only because you constantly tell her she is the star of your wet dreams." Caleb grunted.

Paul set the book down on the ornate wooden desk before he crossed his arms over his bare chest and glared at the Simms boy. "That was you?" Paul growled his eyes darkening to an angry brown. "Because of your comment my wife had the nerve to tell me I wasn't romantic enough. Apparently a teenage boy telling her she was bone worthy was better than rose petals on a bed."

Pogue pulled a face moving away from his father. "Too much information dad."

Paul just grinned at his son. "Aw come on don't ya want a sister?"

"You're sterile."

"Am not, that is a myth. We are allowed to have more than one child thank you very much." Paul huffed, "Otherwise Reid would be an only child."

"I wish it wasn't a myth." Reid grumbled.

"How many siblings do you have?" Liz asked cocking her head to the side as she stared at the blonde.

"Six and a half."

"How can you have a half?" Cory asked.

"Dude your mom is expecting again?" Tyler asked and Reid nodded trying to cover a grimace.

"If your parents keep popping them out man…" Pogue laughed.

"Well according to mom they can have as many as they want because they have galleons out the butt to spend on them."

"Wait so how does that work into the Covenant than?" Alex asked.

"It only applies to the first born sons. If a girl had been born first it would not go to her but the first son." Paul explained.

"So the spell!" Caleb exclaimed drawing the room back to order which was difficult since they all seemed to have the attention span of a fruit fly.

"So Pogue you went over everything with them?" Paul asked his son.

Pogue nodded, "All but how the spell is performed."

"Great. Well I can quickly answer that." Paul laughed. "It is done with blood magic which connects to the core of your magic. By combining your blood you are essentially connecting your magical cores. This is the connection that allows you all to stay connected. I will slit your wrists and perform the unbreakable vow and add a little of this and a little of that and then perform the incantation and we are done. Oh and then there is the whole two week insomnia bit but…"

"Whoa hold up!" Alex said standing up throwing his arms into the air. "Insomnia?" He asked his hands on his hips as he glared at his friend's father.

"Well yeah, after powerful magic like this hits you it leaves you on an intense high. You will be unable to sleep for a while but after the two week period is up you will go back to somewhat normal." Paul said.

"Somewhat normal?" Tyler choked out.

"Well you will always feel the others around you. If you wanted I could do the extra bit and make it so you can hear each other's thoughts…"

"No!" The kids yelled the girls looking horrified at the thought.

"Alright sheesh I was just asking no need to get snippy with me."

"Dad just please start the spell." Pogue begged his father.

"Alright, anyone who wants to back out better do so now or forever be bound together."

Four hours later and each with a fresh slit on their left wrist with a new scar in the shape of a pentagram in a circle the new Covenant was bound. The friends sat in the middle of the room leaning against one another as they adjusted to the feel of the magic pouring through them. Alex had a towel to his nose as the rush caused him a severe nose bleed.

"That was wow." Louise gasped out staring blankly in front of her.

"Totally." Reid wheezed.

"Guyz I tink Im gonna pass out." Alex mumbled.

"No you won't." Caleb grunted.

"My head is spinning." Jasmine sighed.

"I feel like I am shooting through the damn stars." Pogue giggled.

Paul Parry stood in the doorway laughing at the kids with his wife at his side. They made a funny sight all clumped together in their scant night clothes as they stared in space higher than a kite. "Ready to get home Liz, Alex?" Pogue's mother asked softly.

"Sure." Liz breathed standing on shaky legs. "Whoa head rush." She sighed.

"Oh their parents are going to hate us." She fretted, "It looks like they are on drugs."

"Them some good drugs then." Paul laughed.

Mrs. Parry rolled her eyes at her husband biting her lip furiously. Alex and Liz were all packed but they were still in their night clothes and she didn't think that they were going to be in any state to change for hours at least until some of the edge of the spell wore off and the fog surrounding their minds cleared. She had seen such affects before when her son and his friends were inducted into the Covenant of silence like their fathers before them. The haze stuck around for hours until just the euphoric high was present and even then it wasn't pleasant for those around the person to experience since the person in the state was irrationally happy which could lead to dangerous situations.

"Come on you two we need to get you dressed. Paul help Alex I will help Liz." She instructed and her husband knew better than to question her. Even if he was some powerful wizard that many feared there was nothing scarier to Paul Parry than his wife angry.

"Yes dear." He mumbled leading the lanky teen into the side room where he could assist him in putting on pants and a top.

"So demanding." Alex hummed making the older man laugh as he nodded in agreement.

"Welcome to married life Alex."

Alex grinned at the wizard removing his bloody towel from his face as he wiggled his eyebrows. "But for a wife that hot I would be willing to follow her lead."

Not long after Paul led Liz and Alex past the front gate of his home and outside his anti apparition field. "Ready?" He asked.

"No." They groaned.

"Great let's go, hold on tight now." Paul said and the two did so reluctantly if only so they would be split in half.

Paul looked around the dark alley he and the two children had appeared in with distaste. "Sorry Paul but my parents own a café, this comes with the territory." Liz hummed as she and Alex practically danced their way onto the main street with the older man trailing after them looking far less graceful. An annoying bell rang above the door as the three entered and Paul wanted to leave right away.

"Good Merlin these people are batty." He breathed.

"I think so too at times." Liz sang as she twirled in place.

"Liz, Alex." Jeff Parker looked up from the paper work he had spread out on the counter as the café bustled about.

"Hi daddy." Liz breathed in her airy tone she had taken since the spell. Jeff blanched when he saw the glazed over look in their eyes. His eyes darkened as he sensed powerful magic surrounding them leaving a scar on their cores.

"What the hell happened?" Jeff growled in a low voice not wanting to alarm his customers as he stared down the imposing man before him.

"Well my brothers and I were less than happy with the situation Liz and Alex are in and we decided to air on the side of caution when it comes to their future." Paul said drawing on his years of intimidation as the Parry heir.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Jeff snarled.

Paul smirked at the man before him looking him dead in the eye. "They are members of a new Covenant Parker and anyone who tries to break it will face consequences they can't fathom."


	7. Second Year Secrets

Part 6: Second Year Secrets

Jeff Parker walked slowly behind his daughter as he watched her walk towards the security check point with Alex. His worst fears had come true when he felt the magic on his daughter upon her return to Roswell after her week away from Roswell that summer. She was different so very different and the dark power clinging to her was a bitter reminder of the stench of magic residue on her mother. A still pink scar stood out on their wrists making him grind his teeth, it was a symbol of all he hated; a dark binding oath similar to the one that enslaved her mother.

"Well this is where we have to go alone." Alex said kissing his mother on the cheek and shaking hands with his father.

"Be safe Alex." Charles Whitman whispered. Jeff watched the man silently as Nancy said her goodbyes to Liz. Charles had been acting differently with Alex the past few weeks, clinging to his adopted son. A dark haunted look replaced the sad look in Charles's eyes as he watched Alex wait at the check point for Liz.

"Bye daddy." Liz whispered never meeting his eyes. Jeff bent down and kissed her forehead not wanting to let her go. She was so young and so grown up at the same time.

"Charles you alright?" Jeff asked as they watched their kids walk away holding hands as they talked.

Charles shook his head as he stared after the two. "Something is wrong Jeff I can feel it, I can't help but feel that something terrible is going to happen to my son this year and he will never be the same again."

Jeff sighed patting his old friend on the back, "Trust those instincts Charles they usually end up being right."

Liz and Alex were anxious to get away from their parents and meet their friends; nothing had been the same after that week. "Black and Black." A familiar voice laughed from beside them Liz turned and saw Tyler Simms leaning against a pillar in the Salem train station. "We were wondering when you were going to get here, come on the others saved compartments for us across from each other." Tyler said leading the way.

"How come you got stuck with watch duty?" Alex asked.

Tyler laughed at their question as he looped an arm around Liz. "I volunteered," he said.

"Why?" Liz asked watching as Tyler pulled a pained face.

"Reid and Caleb have new girlfriends." Tyler whispered, "And boy can I not stand them so Pogue and I fought over who got to leave and who got to stay. I won." Tyler said.

Alex shot a pained look at Liz who appeared unusually cool and aloof. "Oh really when did this happen?" Alex asked," And why are we just now hearing about it?"

"I am guess Reid started dating her three weeks ago?" Liz asked Tyler nodded stunned that she figured that out, she must have noticed his expression because she was grinning at him. "Come on Tyler it fits. Remember at the campfire he skipped out and then he was always ducking away to talk on the phone or in the fire?"

"Caleb started dating Melinda Marrows four weeks ago and Reid finally asked Bethany Wilkins." Tyler grumbled.

"You don't like them do you?" Alex asked.

"That obvious?"

"Only to those of us who know you." Liz admitted slapping his chest trying to make him feel better as elves loaded their trunks onto the train.

"Come on I think if we are lucky we can get a compartment away from them." Tyler said his blue eyes brightening at the prospect.

The train was full of kids eleven to seventeen all shouting out greetings. When they spotted Liz and Alex their greetings were turned to them. Towards the middle of the train Tyler stopped and squared his shoulders looking as if he were getting ready for battle. "You two ready?" Tyler asked.

Liz and Alex could feel through their connection that their friends were all on the other side of the two doors on either side of the hall. Liz tapped Tyler on the shoulder and pointed to the other door before she whispered, "That is the one we want Reid and Caleb aren't in there."

Tyler looked relieved that she knew that as he turned and opened the door to the cramped compartment. "Welcome." Pogue said to the safe haven.

"The only place safe from thoz horn dogs." Serena muttered.

"We had to kick Caleb out after we heard a groan, a little too much of him for my taste." Cory muttered as he flipped the page of his new second year potions book.

"So any room for us?" Alex asked.

"Yeah wez just have ta double up." Serena said shoving Pogue's book to the side as she sat in his lap. Alex quickly sat down and took her place as Tyler pulled Liz down into his lap in the only other free seat.

"Thanks." Liz mumbled. "I was afraid I was going to have to go and find someplace else to sit."

Pogue laughed as he opened his book back up, it appeared to be some wizard mystery novel that was popular. "Like we would let that happen."

"So all of you are avoiding them?" Alex asked.

"Hell yeah." Pogue admitted. "You all haven't had to see them everyday all summer. I swear there wasn't a day where I didn't have to see Bethany's tongue rammed down Reid's throat."

"Sounds pleasant." Cory hummed from behind his book.

"Caleb is worse." Tyler groaned laying his head against Liz a sharp pained look on his face. "He just forgets all that is around him when he is with Melinda."

"Well you know what you gotta do ta get back at him." Serena giggled.

"What?" Pogue asked.

"Get your own girls and rub it in their face." Jasmine said and Liz nodded in agreement.

"Devious." Alex sighed, "But yeah it would probably work." Alex agreed.

"Or at least you wouldn't be miserable since you would have your tongue rammed down some other girl's throat." Liz snickered.

Tyler pinched her side making her shriek in laughter. "Think its funny do ya Black?" Tyler asked as the two fell to the floor, Liz in a fit of giggles as he tickled sides mercilessly. Her bouts of laughter grew louder and louder the longer he tickled her as tears poured out of her eyes and her cheeks reddened.

"Tyler!" She shrieked in a breathy gasp.

"Come on Black you know what to do I am not going to ease up on you until you say it." Tyler laughed. The others just watched their friends in fascination as they rolled about on the compartment floor. Neither Liz nor Tyler saw the compartment door slide open as Tyler straddled Liz and continued to torture her.

"Are we interrupting anything?" Reid's voice startled the two out of their little world. Liz and Tyler gasped and their heads swung in the direction of the door where Caleb, Reid and their girlfriends stood looking down at the floor where Liz and Tyler were tangled together. Reid and the girls looked amused while Caleb looked at the two with some unknown expression on his face and strange dark emotion shimmering behind his dark brown eyes.

"Yes now go away they were just getting to the good part." Pogue said.

"Tyler get the hell off of Liz." Caleb growled. Tyler shot is friend a look wondering what crawled up his butt and died as he got back into his seat and pulled Liz up with him. "Why are you doubled up?" Caleb asked watching as Liz sat comfortably on their friend.

"Not enough room." Alex said grinning when he saw the flare of anger in Caleb's eye.

"Well we are almost at school so you should get into your uniforms." Melinda said as she ran her hand down Caleb's arm.

"Alright thanks." Liz said getting up to retrieve her backpack from above the others moving to get theirs as well. The four in the doorway watched in horror as Serena stripped off her shirt at the same time as Cory.

"Not in the same compartment." Caleb ground out.

"Why we have underclothes on." Louise giggled flinging her top at Reid who tried to duck out of the way.

"Reid Garwin shut your eyes." Bethany snapped.

"Nothing he hasn't seen before." Jasmine muttered.

"Heck he's seen us in less." Liz grumbled as she adjusted her uniform.

"Yeah which by the way is so not fair." Cory huffed.

Reid crossed his arms in annoyance, "Hey I didn't know they were in there changing I thought they were just sting around it was more than a little shocking to see the four of them like that." Bethany shot him a withering look before she tugged on his arm.

"Come on Reid the train is going to get there soon let's go wait with the others." She said leading him out of the compartment.

"See you all later." Reid called back to his friends.

"Won't count on it." Tyler grumbled as Caleb and Melinda started to leave. Caleb turned back looking at his friend puzzled trying to figure out what he meant.

"Come on Ty let's go." Jasmine whispered tugging on his hand leading him in the opposite direction of Caleb and Reid who stared after their friends in confusion.

"See you at the feast Caleb." Liz said waving to him as she joined the others.

"Aren't you all coming with us?" Reid asked.

Liz gave her friend a small smile feeling bad for him, it wasn't their fault that they were so caught up in their new relationships they didn't realize how uncomfortable others were around them. "No, we will see you later though." She said winking at him before she left with the others linking arms with Serena as they made their short walk to the school.

"You two going to work on Pogue?" Louise asked.

"Yup you and Louise going to work on Tyler?" Liz asked and the blonde nodded.

Louise ran a small hand though her curly blonde hair as she looked at the two boys ahead of them walking with Jasmine, Alex and Cory. "They are going to have to get used to Caleb and Reid having girlfriends and they are going to have to accept that they are going to find friend's outside our group as well." Liz said.

"They just needs ta realiz that even if wez have other friendz we will always be together. After all thatz what da pact waz about." Serena mumbled.

Louise suddenly let out a small squeal. "What is your deal?" Liz hissed looking at her suddenly bouncing friend at her side.

"Liz, Seth Baker is staring at you. At first I thought he was just glancing this way but no he keeps looking over here at you." Louise giggled.

"How do you know it's not at you or Serena?" Liz asked rolling her eyes at her friend.

"Because I just know this kind of stuff."

Serena looked over at the dark haired teen a year above them and then back at Liz a sly grin on her face. "Black I think shez right." Serena said.

Liz blushed furiously ducking her head as she felt people staring at her. "You are wrong." Liz muttered as they settled down at their seats in the dining hall.

"What took you three so long?" Caleb asked watching the three girls sit down, Melinda still clinging to his side.

"Oh Lizzie has an admirer." Louise giggled looking across the hall to Alex's table where Seth still kept stealing glances at Liz.

Caleb glanced at Seth and back at Liz an uneasy look on his face. "Oh good for you." He muttered.

Pogue smirked at his friend before they all stared at their headmaster waiting for him to get his usual spiel over with. "Welcome back students and staff it is great to see you all happy and healthy ready to learn. Now professor if you would please start the sorting." The headmaster said and the new first years paraded in.

"Pst Liz," Ryan Cornwall hissed at his sister's friend.

"Yeah?" She asked.

"Check out the new professor, I hear she is the new dueling instructor."

Liz glanced up at where the teachers were all congregated and saw a tall thin redhead, a grim look about her. "Who is she?" Liz asked.

"Her name is Heidi Prince. She is our latest import." Ryan snickered.

"What do ya mean?" Serena asked her brother.

"Shez one of those English Prince's you knowz from the pure blood Prince family." Ryan hissed and a few students who had been listening in gasped in horror.

"What is wrong with that?" Liz asked.

"Wellz theyz are kinda dark Liz, like worse than the Black family even. It was rumored that therez were none left that theyz were all wiped out in the last war." Serena whispered as the dark eyes of Heidi Prince flickered to their table almost as if she had heard the students speaking.

"I didn't know it was possible to be darker than a Black." Liz mumbled, "my dad always said my family was the worst sort."

"The Black's were bad Liz but they were never overly sadistic." Pogue whispered, "the Prince family would take prisoners and torture them for days just for the fun of it. Then they would set them lose and go hunting for them and finally kill them."

Liz shivered at the thought of hunting a human. "Ultimate predator better prey." Caleb whispered.

"More like twisted and disgusting." Melinda hissed at her boyfriend. "Anyone who kills another should be killed themselves."

Liz and Caleb stiffened at her declaration their friends shifting around uncomfortably, except for Serena. "Not all of uz have that option girly. Sometimes killing is a way of survival." Serena spat turning away from the girl to face the sorting.

Melinda rolled her eyes at the younger girl and went back to smiling at Caleb who looked even less interested in her. The sorting of the dorms was finally over and the headmaster in all his imposing glory stood before the silent hall. "Students welcome back and welcome first year students I hope your time here will prove valuable and educational. Now for a few announcements. This year we have a new dueling instructor Professor Prince who comes to us from Drumstrang in Bulgaria where she was known as Order of Tarsus world class dueling champion. She along with Professor Jackaelis will be instructing you in the finer points of dueling. Also this year due to an unfortunate incident last year students will no longer be allowed in the mirror library until the proper wards are put in place."

"What happened last year?" Liz asked looking behind her at Pogue who's grim face made her uneasy.

"A seventh year student was killed." He whispered

Liz gapped at him, "How come we never heard about this?" Liz hissed.

"Liz the seventh year student was killed by dark magic like really dark. Problem is no one knows how the wards didn't go off and why they are unable to track the killer." Pogue explained.

"Still doesn't explain why the school didn't tell us I mean we have a right to know if one of our classmates dies." Liz grumbled.

"The parents know Liz which is how we found out, obviously your dad never told you. I imagine many parents didn't tell their kids." Pogue said.

"Why not?" Liz hissed.

"Because it would scare them and make them not want to go to school." Caleb whispered finally joining the conversation when he saw Melinda talking to her friend now that the speech was over and the food was on the table.

"Well it sounds like they have reason to be scared if they can't even find the killer." Louise said.

"You have no idea." Pogue whispered darkly.

Jasmine stared at Pogue shrinking away from him when his dark eyes landed on her, "What is it Pogue?" She asked.

"It's just weird that there was no magical trace to be found, nothing to track."

Caleb nodded in agreement spearing a pea with his fork, "It's also weird that they picked that girl to take out."

"How so?" Liz asked.

Caleb and Pogue shared one of their looks before they turned back to the tiny brunette. "Calisto Barbas was the girl killed." Pogue growled.

Serena and Louise winced at the name while Liz and Jasmine stared at them confused. "So?" Jasmine asked.

Serena ignored her friend leaning closer to Pogue, "I didn't know she still went here I thought her dad pulled her out."

Caleb rolled his eyes at her, "That is what a lot of people thought and because she was a seventh year not many saw her. She and her family wanted it that way." Caleb said, "I can understand why what with all the shit people put her through."

"Okay I am seriously missing something here care to fill me in?" Liz asked

"Yeah seriously." Jasmine huffed.

"Barbas Liz as in the Barbas family." Louise hissed.

Liz just shook her head not seeing what was so important. "Rena she hasn't had to deal with them yet she wouldn't know." Louise whispered.

Serena's shoulders slumped and she looked to the boys to explain. "Liz the Barbas family is pretty old themselves like our families. They are sort of like living magical secret keepers. It is said that each member of the Barbas family is entrusted with a secret one very big very powerful secret that is revealed with their deaths." Caleb explained.

"So whoever killed Calisto thought she had a secret and that she would tell them." Liz whispered.

Pogue shook his head at his friend, "They didn't think she had a secret Liz they knew she did."

"Wait that whole secret thing is real?" Liz asked her large doe eyes wide with shock. "How the heck do you all know?"

Serena looked down her eyes never meeting those of her friend, "Liz my dad killed Calisto's aunt." Caleb whispered his voice low and rough full of pain. "He killed her for her secret and boy did she blab."

"Oh." Jasmine gasped.

"So someone killed Calisto for her secret." Liz whispered and Pogue nodded.

"Must have been a hell of a secret." Jasmine huffed.

"What secret did your dad hear?" Liz asked. Caleb blanched, "But you don't have to." She quickly added when she saw him flinch.

"When the banshee cries and the watch stops on twelve the eldest son of the blood line would die." Caleb whispered sipping his apple cider.

"Meaning what?" Jasmine asked.

"It waz a death omen." Serena muttered looking ill and Caleb nodded. "That waz the big secret she was keeping waz da death of your dad?" Caleb nodded.

"Why would that be a big secret?" Liz asked.

"Because it was part of a prophecy, supposedly when James dies Caleb will inherit his powers." Pogue filled in.

Louise released a shuddering breath her shoulders shivering in the warm hall, "That is scary." She whispered.

"Well how did your dad know it was about him how did he know she knew a secret about him?" Liz asked.

"Liz always the inquisitive one." Pogue chuckled making her blush.

"Good question Liz." Caleb said glaring at Pogue. "I think we miss informed you a bit see when we said they knew a secret we meant that they know a bunch of them and the way you find out your secret is by killing one of them and they will reveal it to you."

"That is just wrong." Jasmine muttered.

"Never said it wasn't." Caleb sighed.

"So whoever killed Calisto knew that there was a secret out there about them and they picked off the easiest target." Liz said and the others nodded. "That is just mean."

"That is the life of the Barbas family; I think all of them expect to be killed at some point because no one wants a juicy secret like theirs to go to the grave with them." Pogue chuckled.

"Do they have any suspects?" Jasmine asked and Pogue nodded.

"A fair few and each one seems less possible than the other."

Caleb sighed putting down his fork to stare at the four girls, "But there is one thing they do know."

"What?" Liz asked.

"They know that there is no possible way it was another student." Caleb whispered darkly.

"How?" Liz glanced between the two older students wondering what would make them say that after all another student would have the opportunity.

"Liz the magic used on Calisto was dark like darker than anything even Salem could teach us. Only a really powerful wizard could pull off the kind of spell that killed Calisto." Pogue whispered his eyes darting about nervously flickering to the area in the hall where the teachers were sitting. "Only someone who is deeply immersed in dark magic could pull it off."

Jasmine looked baffled that such a spell existed, "What spell was used?" She asked.

"The killing curse." Serena whispered those around them that were listening shuddered violently.

Liz was now the only one who didn't understand why that was so terrible. Louise looked at her friend and sighed when she saw her confounded look, "Don't worry Liz be happy you don't know what the killing curse is. It is one of the unforgivable curses that will give you a life sentence in Azkaban."

Liz's dark eyes clouded over with worry as her head whipped in Caleb's direction tears filling her eyes, "Caleb is that the same curse my…"

Caleb nodded sadly at Liz feeling terrible for her; apparently her father had never told her what spell her mother had used on her victims. "That is the curse she used Liz." He whispered, "Only someone powerful and full of intent could have done so which is why the ministry knows that a student couldn't have done this to Calisto, our magic is nowhere near developed enough to put the intent behind it. Not even a seventh year would be able to muster up the core power needed."

"Do they think it is a member of the staff?" Louise asked, "My dad wouldn't say."

"No they are pretty sure it's not one of them but they are looking into all possibilities." Pogue's deep voice rumbled across the table.

Liz snorted at that, "Well then they should be looking at the students as well, they should know by now that appearances are deceiving. Who is to say if a person is not powerful enough? Look at what we did this summer. If we could do that and practice magic in secret then there is nothing stopping other students from doing the same." Liz pointed out.

The others were silent as they digested what Liz had said. "Merlin she is right." Louise breathed, "It could be anyone."

"Wez are screwed." Serena whimpered.

Liz and Jasmine once again stared at their friend in shock, "What the heck makes you say that?" Liz asked tucking a strand of hair behind her ear nervously, "I mean they were after Calisto for her secret not the students."

"No Liz if the ministry iz looking in ta matterz wez are gonna be looked at az well. Theyz are gonna sense our pact."

Liz blanched at that, "Oh."

"We can't get in trouble though I mean even if they do pick up on it they can't prove that we were the ones to perform the ritual." Pogue said.

"Well this year will sure be interesting." Caleb groaned.

Liz snorted looking away from him, "What are you worried about Caleb, it's not like you are going to be here most of the time just for a few classes."

"Yeah you don't have to eat meals and sleep here." Louise grumbled.

"I am still staying here, and so is Tyler." Pogue said nudging Serena in the side hoping to get her to smile. Her lips twitched as she fought a grin before her petal pink lips revealed her bright white teeth in a blinding smile.

"That's good." Liz giggled.

Caleb stared at his friends an odd feeling building in his chest. "Well I am just staying home with my mom; I think she gets lonely there by herself."

Serena stared hard at him as if she sensed something was wrong her eyes roaming over him in an uncomfortable way. Her eyes flickered to Melinda and then Liz before they focused back on her plate grimly. He didn't know what she saw but Caleb knew that Serena had come to some conclusion and it was not one she was happy with.


	8. Second Year Secrets II

**Hey guys thank you so much for the replies to the last part I love reading them they make my day sooo much better! Please let me know what you think of this new part!**

Part 7: Second Year Secrets II

The first month of school had gone by quickly and by the end Pogue and Tyler were feeling more and more distant from their best friends since birth Reid and Caleb. Between attending Spencer Academy as freshmen, their fourth year of magic school and their girlfriends; Caleb and Reid had pulled away from the group drastically. Even more devastating for the group was the official launch of the investigation of the students at Salem for the now publicly recognized murder of Calisto Barbas. The group feared that any day now their secret would be revealed.

A pleasant surprise the group encountered was the dueling instructor Heidi Prince. Her quick wit and unique teaching style fascinated the group and Liz quickly found her new favorite class, dueling. Prince's motto was, "If you are in a duel your brains will come in handier than your knowledge of dark spells." Liz loved that finally her brain could be a powerful weapon.

Liz stuck her wand in her hip holster that Professor Prince had given to all of her students and want to the common room to wait for Serena; the two of them had been asked by Professor Prince to come in for a few out of class assignments since they showed the most promise as duelists. "Rena you have five minutes." Liz grumbled to herself as she waited by the door for her friend.

"Hold your hippogriffs Black I'm here." Serena chuckled adjusting her underskirt.

"Sorry I am just so excited." Liz giggled as she looped arms with the other girl as they began their long trek to the other side of the school where Professor Prince's office was located.

"Understandable, even I am excited wez are going to be learning some wicked moves," Serena chuckled. The two walked in comfortable silence for a few moments as Serena's eyes ran over her friend worry clouding the deep orbs for a moment. "Hey Liz youz talk ta Caleb lately?" Serena asked softly.

Liz shook her head looking down letting her dark hair fall in a curtain around her face to hide her miserable expression from her friend. "No," She whispered.

Serena shook her head as she looked away from her friend, "Figures," Serena snorted. Liz flinched hurt by her friend's words. "Sorry didn't mean it like that Liz." Serena whispered squeezing Liz's arm. "Iz Just mean that da idiot hazn't even spoken to Pogue or Tyler. Theyz had hoped he would have at least spoken ta youz."

Liz snorted rolling her eyes, "Yes because he would rather talk to a twelve year old girl than one of his buddies."

Serena chuckled softly giving her friend a sad smile. Apparently Liz was just as oblivious to her feelings and connection to Caleb as he was her. "Well theyz were hoping he was still talking to you." Serena sighed as they rounded the corner into a dark corridor.

Liz's wrist gave a small twinge as she looked down at her beautiful scar. "Well Serena I guess we are just going to have to force him to talk to us. This Wednesday night he and Reid have a free block no muggle or magic school. I think it's time we forced our friends to talk to us." Liz said a dark look flashing in her eyes. Serena smirked at her friend and nodded.

"'Bout damn time someone mentioned that we could do that I always wanted to test the summoning aspect of our pact." The two walked farther down the corridor when the flicker of candle light off to the side caught their attention.

Liz shot Serena a suspicious look and Serena nodded giving her consent to tag along and check it out. The two girls quietly crept along approaching the partially open door that was allowing the small amount of light to spill into the corridor.

"And you really think it was him headmaster?" A worried female voice trilled in the room.

"Yes I am almost certain it was him." Their headmaster sighed. Horrified gasps sounded in the room.

"But how headmaster?" the panicked voice of their magical history teacher asked. "How could he have gotten into Salem so easily I mean our wards…"

"Are nothing compared to the likes of him. I should have asked Albus to fix them, but I let my damn pride get in the way and now because of it a student is dead." A weary sigh escaped his lips, "I should have listened to the old fool when he told me what he suspected."

"There was no way to know for sure Theodore we all just thought he was a rambling old man. I mean who would have thought it possible…"

"I know Plank I know but still. We should have known by now that when Albus Dumbledore tries to warn us about something than he usually has a good reason." Headmaster Krane spat.

"So you really think it's true?" The deep throaty voice of Professor Prince surprised the girls. "You think the Dark Lord killed Calisto."

"Yes."

"But why would he come after Calisto when there are others here more valuable students for him to go after?" Another professor asked softly.

"For her secret of course," Krane spat. "But I fear that you are also right that it does not make sense for him to just leave the others alone when they are much more valuable to him."

"Forgive me headmaster but maybe the reason he didn't go after the others is because he simply didn't know that they were here or he was not in a position to go after them." Plank said.

"Yes headmaster I mean it would make sense. If it was the Dark Lord and he is weak at the moment he might not be in the position to challenge the Covenant just yet and if he were to go after the children then that is exactly who he would be facing." Another professor added.

"They are correct headmaster I have seen the mark they bear myself. The Dark Lord must have sensed the dark power within them and found them too formidable for now. He will be back for them though if he is indeed the one who killed Calisto." Prince hissed.

"They didn't have that mark last year," Plank spat, "That is a new acquirement."

"Yes but Frank surely you remember that all last year wherever the Ipswich boys were the Blacks were as well." Tinka the potions professor reminded her colleague.

"For now we are going to treat this as a threat. I will contact the ministry and ask for more security. We cannot risk the Black heirs in the hands of the Dark Lord nor the Sons of Ipswich." Krane whispered.

"Well how are you going to get the ministry to help Headmaster? I mean just out right telling them we think the Dark Lord is back will only make them send us all to the loony bin." Plank snapped.

"We are going to lie to them of course."

Serena gripped Liz's arm in a death grip her pale face a sickly gray in the dark as her small body shook with terror. Liz saw Serena's throat bobbing and knew her friend well enough to clamp a small hand over her mouth to stifle the building scream as she dragged the taller girl away from the room and down the hall to a distant classroom. Liz pulled out her wand pointed at the door. "Silencio." She whispered before she removed her hand from her friend's face.

"Liz oh Merlin this iz bad I mean did ya hear them?" Serena wailed as she paced the dark classroom.

"Yes I heard them. Right now Serena you need to take a deep breath and calm down because freaking out will not help."

Serena shot her a hysterical look, "Liz I think panicking iz perfect right now. Fuck Liz theyz think that da Dark Lord iz gonna come after all of us especially you and Alex. Liz freak out!" She screamed.

"Serena that will solve nothing." Liz hissed at her friend, "We need to keep a level head here Serena come on here, think. We at least have information now before we were blind we had no idea he was even going to come after us. None of this is for sure Serena but now at least we know to be on the defensive and we can warn the others." Liz tried to calm her friend who looked close to hopelessly sobbing.

Serena's watery eyes stared at her smaller friend miserably. "Liz da staff thinks dat the Dark Lord still exists. He neva came to da States before."

Liz held her friend's shoulders tightly in her hands forcing her to meet her brown eyes. "They are just guessing here Serena, they don't know. We will not panic until they do, they are adults Serena, if they felt we were going to be in trouble or in danger they would tell us. It is their job to keep us safe for the next six years." Liz said.

"Real good job they did wit Calisto." Serena grumbled.

Liz sighed pushing away from her friend as she sat down on one of the desks. "Serena we can't panic yet." Liz whispered.

"Liz I'm scared." Serena whimpered.

"Me too."

***

Draco Malfoy was scared. He couldn't remember a time in his life when he ever trembled with as much fear as she had coursing through him in that moment as he stood on the steps in the front hall watching all that was happening around him the black mark on his arm searing with sickening pain. They were gone he could feel it; the small connection he had to an unconditionally loving family was gone.

"Draco where are you?" The frantic voice of his mother called out he could hear a sob building in her voice.

"Draco son where are you?" His father's normally silky voice thundered over the shouts and screams surrounding the castle.

"Mother, father!" Draco yelled running towards them heading outside where he heard their muffled voices.

A loud enraged scream startled him as he exited the ancient castle. That scream was too familiar to him too close to the heart. His eyes scanned the grounds before they landed on the form of his aunt her dark raven hair streaked with gray flinging spells left and right at every deatheater she saw. He couldn't stop his mouth from falling open at the sight as his uncles joined her. They were turning on their own, their friends since school, it was unheard of. The Dark Lord's most intimate followers; his parents and family were turning on their dark master.

"Draco!" His mother shouted as she sprinted towards him tears streaming down her pale face when she saw him.

Draco moved to meet her when he stumbled over something on the ground. He met the ground with startling force the air escaping him in a pained rush. Draco gently rolled over as spells shot around him. "Draco are you alright?" His mother asked as she and his father raced towards him helping him up off the ground.

"Yes I just tripped over…" Draco looked down and gasped. "Liz." He whispered.

"Come on Draco we must go and get inside it is far too dangerous for you out here." His father hissed grabbing his arm firmly.

"No, Liz!" Draco shouted trying to wrench away from his father to get to his fallen cousin staring lifelessly into the distance her body stiff and rigid contorted in an unnaturally pained pose. Draco finally managed to get free from his father as he fell near Liz again scrambling on the ground towards her. He touched a pale hand to her face and flinched at slight warmness of her skin.

"Draco come." His father ordered.

Draco glared at his father, "I am not a bloody dog." He snapped.

The elder Malfoy glared at his son grinding his teeth sharply, "Draco there is nothing you can do for her now, come on the deatheaters and Order members are out for blood and I do not want my son caught in the mess." Lucius snapped.

"Come Draco please." His mother begged, Draco hated seeing his mother beg it was so unlike her. The seventeen year old growled before he slowly got up sparing one last glance at Liz before his parents dragged him inside. Unknown to the trio the fight had already moved inside and they were walking into the final battle for freedom.

***

Once Liz had calmed Serena down the two of them made their way to their meeting place with Professor Prince. They knew that they had to act as if they had heard nothing and Liz knew it was killing Serena inside, her fiery friend wanted to rip into the new professor and ask every question that jumped into her head.

"Good evening girls." Prince said in her throaty voice that sent shivers down Serena's slender spine. The professor raised an eyebrow at the movement but said nothing. "Tonight we will be working on something that is far more advanced than any second year can perform but I feel it is time to at least introduce the concept to you." She said.

"What professor?" Liz asked leaning forward in her seat slightly biting her bottom lip in rapt anticipation.

"Wordless spell casting." She said softly drawing gasps from the two girls.

"But most seventh years can't even do that." Liz whispered her doe eyes wide with concern.

Heidi raised her hand to silence her students. "True but there is something hindering them that the two of you do not have." She whispered.

"What?" Serena asked.

"You are not set in your ways your minds have not been conditioned yet to relying on your wands for magic; you are still unconsciously using wandless and wordless magic. It will be easier for you to get over the idea of not being able to say what you want your wand to do." Their professor said as she waved her wand at a desk and animated it to walk across the room. Liz and Serena gapped when they realized they never heard their professor speak.

"Cool." Liz breathed.

Heidi Prince spent the next two hours demonstrating and going over the theory of wordless spell casting with the two young witches. Little did Heidi know but in a matter of two years her lessons in spell casting in battle would serve the two young girls well when they would face a stark brush with death at the hands of true evil.

Liz and Serena rushed down the halls back to their dorm. Wednesday could not come fast enough for the girls as they bubbled with nervous energy wanting to tell their friends all that they learned and heard that night. As their eyes fluttered closed that night a shaky voice croaked in the bed next to Liz.

"_The end has begun."_ Liz bolted upright in bed and she heard two others do the same. Liz looked next to her at Louise's bed and in the dark of night saw her friend's normally clear and bright eyes ghosted by a milky white color so dark and lifeless like the eyes of the dead.

"Louise?" Jasmine called.

"Yo what is up with dat shit?" Serena asked looking at her friend panic clear on her face as she clung to her covers.

"Louise." Jasmine called again. The blonde slowly blinked her eyes as they cleared up a look of sheer terror on her face.

"Louise what is it?" Liz asked.

"I know why Calisto was killed; I know what secret she was hiding."


	9. Second Year Secrets III

**Hey guys and gals thanks for all the reviews I really love them so please if you have time let me know what you thought of this part!**

Part 8: Second Year Secrets III

Pogue rolled over in bed happily dreaming of home and his friends during the summer. He let out a contented sigh in his sleep before a pained gasp left his throat his brown eyes flying open as they watered profusely his wrist burning painfully. He sat up in bed clutching his arm to his chest, "Louise," He gasped out. Pogue flung off his covers as he stumbled out of his twin bed half dressed ignoring the sleeping snores of his roommates as he stumbled out the door and down to the common area.

Around the school Reid, Tyler, Alex and Cory bolted up in bed letting out shrieks of pain. They could all feel it pulsing through their connections this inner voice shouting at them their friend's name, "Louise". Something was wrong they could feel it they could feel her and her fear.

Caleb Danvers set down his book in his room rubbing his eyes tiredly. He was finding it oddly hard to fall asleep at home even though he had stayed there through the summer. It was as if not having Pogue sleeping in the same room with him barred him from sleeping. "Caleb you still awake?" The throaty voice of his mother asked as she leaned against his doorframe, drink firmly clasped in hand.

"Yeah, hard time sleeping." He grumbled.

"Probably from guilt." She hummed.

Her son wrinkled his brows at her as her gaze swept over him absently. "I'm not feeling guilty; I have nothing to feel guilty about." Caleb pointed out watching as his mother took a sip from her crystal bar glass.

"Sure, sure you don't feel guilty that you have been spending all of your time at school or with your girlfriend that you haven't even spoken to any of your other friends in weeks." Evelyn hummed her dark eyes grinning at him viciously as she twisted a sore nerve with her son.

"I spoke to Pogue this morning in Defense Against the Dark Arts." Caleb pointed out.

His mother nodded pressing her lips in a tight thin line, "Of course but what about Liz Parker, excuse me Black? What about Alex and that Cory boy?" She asked raising a thin eyebrow at her son.

"Yeah I just spoke to them…" Caleb paused trying to remember exactly when he had last spoken to any of them apart from Reid, Tyler and Pogue; he was drawing a sad and depressing blank.

"That's what I thought." Evelyn said setting her glass down on her son's dresser sitting down next to him on his bed. Caleb would no longer meet her eyes as his dark gaze kept to the ground. "Want to tell my why you aren't speaking to your other friends, a fight maybe?" She asked.

Caleb shook his head his brows furrowed. "No nothing like that, I just haven't…had time." He whispered.

"More like my son didn't make time for his friends." She clucked her tongue at that.

A deep sigh left the boy as the reality of what he was doing started to sink in. He really was ignoring the others. "I don't know what happened mom. Why haven't they said anything to me?" Caleb asked his stomach tightening oddly.

"Perhaps because they feel that you are happy and do not want to ruin that by begging for your attention that they feel you do not want to give them." She said gently running her hand through her son's dark locks.

Caleb went to deny that when a sharp searing pain burst through his wrist. He clutched his wrist to his chest as he fell off his bed and onto the floor looking ready to be ill. "Louise," He groaned, "Something is wrong with Louise she is scared and so are the others." He gasped out.

"Caleb your mark…" his mother breathed turning his wrist over, "It is inflamed. Caleb if you think something is wrong with your friends then you need to get to them, heaven forbid it is…" His mother held in a sob as she threw a shirt at him and helped him up. "Get to them now." She choked out.

Caleb could feel this unnatural pull in him as if his body and mind were leading him somewhere. He closed his eyes as his mother stood at his bedside and he felt his body pull at the navel and then he was gone from his room. Caleb opened his eyes and saw that he was standing on the edge of the forest beside his school and a group of people, his friends, were standing there. "Caleb!" Pogue hissed.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Alex asked looking like he had seen a ghost.

"I felt Louise was upset and then I was here." Caleb explained shoving his hands in his sweatpants pockets approached his friends.

"Glad youz here." Serena said briefly looking at him before her gaze went back to a shaking Louise.

"What happened?" He asked standing next to Pogue.

"I don't know we were just…"

The sounds of running footsteps startled the group as different voices shouted out, "Stupify!" and red jest of light raced towards the small group.

The fourth year wizards acted on instincts their wands drawn as they pushed their friends to the ground to dodge the stunning spells.

"Stop stop!" The familiar voice of the Salem Headmaster Krane cried, "They are students!" He yelled.

"Oh Merlin." Professor Tinka breathed as the group of ten adults approached the students.

"What are you all doing out here past curfew and what on earth are you doing here at this time Mr. Danvers?" Plank growled.

"The better question Headmaster is how did they get past the wards and out here and how did Caleb get in?" Prince asked looking over the students with a sharp eye. Caleb looked at her and noticed an almost fearful look in her eyes as she traced their forearms. Something about her searching their arms struck him odd, it was a gesture he had seen the adults from Europe do to each other as if they were looking for something.

Caleb felt as if someone had punched him in the gut when it suddenly hit him what Heidi Prince was looking for. "We are not deatheaters." He spat practically growling when he saw Prince's eyes flicker to Alex and Liz.

Liz and Alex stiffened behind him, their clothes sullied by the mud. Liz rolled up her sleeves and showed the professors and three other individuals they had never seen before her arms. Alex did the same his normally happy disposition was now closed off, his eyes cold to the world. "See." Liz hissed.

"Mind explaining then how all of you appeared out here and didn't set off our wards?" Plank asked.

"Mind telling us how you knew we were out here?" Reid shot back wincing when he realized he had just sassed the most feared teacher at Salem.

"Our wards did pick up a large magical burst in this area, a dark magical burst." Plank snarled.

"We didn't even do anything all we were doing was meeting up." Jasmine whined stomping her feet playing helpless brat very well. "We haven't been able to see each other as a group since school started so we decided to meet outside tonight."

"There are other places to meet." Professor Tinka hummed.

"There is a way to test if they are telling the truth headmaster." A decisively short English accent startled the teens. One of the strange new people off to the side in billowing black robes glared hard at Liz and Alex. "A simple spell really."

"What spell are you thinking of Professor Snape?" Heidi Prince snapped at the man inching closer to her students has the dark haired man with a long hooked nose glared at her students she was sworn to protect.

"Yes Severus what spell are you thinking of?" An angry woman huffed behind him her stern face pinched and shining in the moonlight.

"Ppp per perhaps a priori ssspell ah Sss Sev Severus." A man bumbled behind the man.

"Exactly Quirrell. Except I am going to make it much larger, after all we are dealing with Black's." He spat.

"Severus calm down." An old man whispered his bright eyes staring at the students through half-moon glasses. Pogue and Serena curled their lips when they realized who the man was after all his picture was found in their favorite candy.

"Well if it isn't Headmaster Dumbledore, Hogwarts too boring for you?" Pogue snapped. The others in the group took on looks of either confusion or disgust when they realized it was the famous wizard.

Liz and Serena shared a look when they realized that the four English professors had to have just arrived, after all they had just heard their own professors speaking about them just hours ago. "And who might you be?" Dumbledore asked stepping closer to Pogue.

"Pogue Parry." He growled out.

"Ah yes the youngest Parry a pleasure to finally meet you." Dumbledore said putting on a grandfatherly smile.

"I don't remember there being a scheduled visit." Tyler spoke up shocking his friends. He was the quiet one of the group the one who was always afraid to speak up and had gentleman like manners; speaking up to an authority figure was not like him.

Headmaster Krane cringed visibly when he realized that he had been caught and by the worst person manageable. "No this was a surprise visit of old friends." Krane said trying to pacify the youth.

"No I think this is a little more than a friendly visit." Tyler said as he stepped forward his blue eyes shining brightly in the night. "I don't remember my father telling me anything about a visit, do you Reid?" Tyler asked.

"Nope. The board didn't approve of this." Reid said.

"Now see here." Professor McGonagall choked out outraged that a student would speak to their headmaster in such a way.

"Silence." Caleb ordered glaring at Tyler and Reid before he turned his gaze onto the two headmasters. "You both have violated international law by scheduling a visit and not alerting the board of trustees. Headmaster Krane by all rights you could lose your job for this." Caleb said, "Now mind telling me why you felt the need to invite the Headmaster of Hogwarts and three of his staff to Salem?"

"Because they fear for our safety." Liz spoke up, "They think that whoever killed Calisto is going to come back, they want to know how not only the killer got past the wards but how we did as well. The one called Snape keeps looking at us as if we were scum on the bottom of his shoe so I am guessing he now believes that we had something to do with it." Liz said.

"How do you know that?" Prince asked staring at her students suspiciously.

Serena snorted softly turning her gaze onto her teachers, "Next timez yoz all want ta have a get together youz might want ta put a silencing charm on da door. Anyone might hear ya." Serena said raising an eyebrow at Heidi Prince who had an oddly relieved look on her face.

"So I wasn't crazy." She muttered, "I could have sworn someone was listening in earlier but I could sense no one."

"We were on our way to meet you when we heard your voice." Liz said and Heidi nodded.

"How much did you hear exactly?" Professor Tinka asked.

Serena subtly shook her head at Liz, "Not much, we left once we got scared." Liz said shivering for effect.

Snape curled his lip at that a sneer taking over his disgusted expression. "Figures the little girls would be spooked I imagine they are easily terrified." He spat.

"Severus." Dumbledore said his eyes never leaving the group of children. There was no longer a sparkle in his old eyes but sadness. "There is no need to use a spell to discover the source of the dark magic it is right before us." He whispered.

Plank scoffed at the old man clearly frustrated with his presence. "If you are referring to the magical trace on them we already know. It has been there for weeks."

"Yes but you have yet to discover the source of it, it is the mark on their writs. A mark very similar to that of the Dark Mark if I do say so myself. Same purpose, same qualities. It even allows a person to materialize from one place to another much like a built in portkey that the ministry cannot detect. That is how they all arrived here and why we sensed the dark magic, it was their arrival that sent out a burst of magic that was keyed into their magical cores." Dumbledore said.

Snape reached out and snatched Louise's arm up much to her discomfort, "Hey!" She whinned.

Snape ran his ringer over the raised scar shivering at the dark magic pulsing from it. "There is no way these children could have done this headmaster I doubt even many of age wizards could pull it off without killing themselves." Snape said releasing her arm.

"Tell us who did this to you." Dumbledore ordered in his whispery voice. It was supposed to sound old and comforting as if they were supposed to tell him all of their deepest darkest secrets but the kids knew otherwise. They knew that this was not someone they could trust, he did not have their best interests at heart.

"No." Liz growled her dark eyes haughty and defiant. Snape and McGonagall reeled back at the sight of her and Dumbledore let out a disappointed huff.

"Frightening isn't it." Heidi whispered staring at her student before she looked at her colleagues. "They look so frighteningly alike, but yet they are so different." She said making sure they understood that Liz was not who they thought she was.

Headmaster Krane pinched the bridge of his nose as he let out a frustrated sigh, "Children off to bed, Mister Danvers to your former room as well, it is late and you all have school in the morning. Now!" He ordered and the students scurried off. "And don't even think of not going to your rooms because I will be checking." He added.

"Oh man." They heard Reid groan.

"Goodnight Mister Garwin." Krane bellowed.

"Night." The few staff members heard him grumble.

Krane turned to Dumbledore his blue eyes clouded with worry. "So about those wards?"


	10. Second Year Secrets IV

Part 9: Second Year Secrets IV

The group of friends slowly made their way through the silent school eyes flickering to the Louise constantly, pulses of fear still fresh in their minds. She could feel their eyes dart to her each glance a zap of fire on her skin. The farther along they got the worse it became until it was too much for her. "What?" She hissed at the others.

"Mind telling me why I was woke up with bouts of your fear rushing through me?" Tyler asked.

The girls all shared a look as they stopped in the middle of a corridor. "Louise had a bad dream." Jasmine said but her eyes were telling them otherwise.

Caleb rolled his eyes at her, "I think that is a grouse understatement, I felt pained as like I was going to hurl. That was more than some bad dream."

Louise let out a small sigh nodding as she bit her plump lower lip her eyes nervously darting about searching the shadows as if she were looking for something. "Not tonight," She whispered, "It doesn't feel safe. Tomorrow night all of us need to meet someplace, someplace where we won't be over heard." She hissed her eyes once again darting to the shadows.

Reid groaned, "I can't I have a date tomorrow."

"Cancel it." Pogue snapped.

"I can't," Reid growled, "Some of us just can't drop our lives whenever one of the girls wants us to."

Caleb stood off to the side silently taking in the dynamics before him feeling the air rush out of him. He could not believe what he was hearing from Reid, but then again he had said something similar to his mother not even an hour ago. "Reid," Caleb breathed mentally taking note of the line drawn between the two of them and their friends. "We need to get together with them."

Reid's blue eyes flickered to him in shock. "I thought at least you would understand where I was coming from." One of their friends snorted at that making Caleb's dark brows furrow.

"Earlier today I would have said the same thing Reid but someone pointed out to me tonight that I have been spending time with everyone but my friends. It is a little pathetic don't ya think that the only way to get us all together was for Louise to somehow send out a distress call?" Reid looked away his pale cheeks turning a brilliant shade of pink. Caleb sighed as he watched his friend Reid never meeting his eyes. "The two of us have not been very good friends lately."

Serena leaned over to Liz, "Hey look at dat Black, looks like dez starting ta get it now."

Liz smirked when she realized Caleb and Reid were listening intently to their conversation, "Yeah maybe we should fill them in on the whole plot we uncovered tonight."

Serena giggled, "Nah maybe tomorrow."

Pogue rolled his eyes at their antics, "Meet us tomorrow in the old medical wing at eight, no one goes there so we will be alone."

"You all better be there or so help me…" Cory huffed, "I want answers people and it looks like the girls are holding all the cards on this one."

Headmaster Krane watched his students head into the building a heavy sigh escaping him. "You were right Heidi they are very good." He said turning to look at his newest staff member.

"How did you know they were listening in?" Plank asked.

"My mentor taught me well, I learned to pick up on things that shouldn't be there. In the staff room I noticed all of the scents that should be there and one that should not have been, strawberries."

Professor Tinka sighed shaking her head, "Miss Parker Black." She said and Prince nodded.

"Her shampoo is rather distinct." Plank agreed.

"That's not a shampoo." Professor Snape from the Hogwarts staff spoke up. "Her mother and aunts have a similar scent to them, the Dark Lord thought it amusing he used to say that the scent of strawberries was the stench of death. So true many witches and wizards found when right before they were attacked the sweet scent of strawberries ghosted by them."

"Moody said as much when I was going through my training." Heidi said.

"Curious." Dumbledore chuckled.

"You should watch those children Krane they are getting involved in something they have no business meddling with." McGonagall huffed.

"They are good kids." Krane huffed not liking what the woman was implying, as if he were a bad headmaster.

"They are headed down a dangerous path." She said her voice raising to an almost shrill level in her anger.

"They are not the ones who performed the spell." Heidi pointed out.

"No but they are associating with someone powerful enough to pull a spell like that off." Snape growled his dark eyes flashing dangerously.

"It would have to be someone close to them." Dumbledore agreed.

"You just described their fathers." Plank muttered.

"Pardon." Dumbledore said turning his grandfatherly gaze on the professor.

"I said you just described their fathers or the Sons of Ipswich anyway. I swear those boys are frighteningly like their fathers at times."

"They are heading down a very dark path." McGonagall reminded in a huff.

"A little dark magic never hurt anyone, besides they don't seem to be the ones performing the spells." Plank grunted.

McGonagall narrowed her eyes at the man before her, "Figures you would say such a thing but you should know from working in your field that dark magic has a habit of corrupting people, it is addictive. The more you use the farther you slip until it consumes you and then you are destroyed by your own magic." She whispered an odd gleam in her eye.

Plank nodded, "I know that as do those children Minerva. They have seen what abuse of power can lead to, they know better than you think."

Krane knew that this conversation was getting them no where it was the same fight they kept having over and over again just about different students. Hogwarts and its staff would always be opposed to the teaching of dark magic fearing it would corrupt their students. Salem on the other hand took the stance that students needed to be aware of what was out there and there was no better way than for students to get hands on experience. "We should get to work on those wards; I hate feeling exposed like this." Krane said and Dumbledore nodded solemnly.

"If anything your students have proven how lacking the wards really are. After the war with Grindwald, Hogwarts made many modifications and then during Voldemort's reign of terror they were improved upon more. Now not all can be applied to Salem but a great many will serve your school well."

McGonagall and Quirrell followed after the other staff while Snape trailed behind with Prince. "How are you liking Salem?" He asked his voice oddly soft.

"It is an adjustment and has far less excitement than I was used to but it is a nice change." She said.

"Your mother is worried about you. She thinks Salem is far too dangerous."

Heidi laughed, "Severus my mother feels everything is dangerous. Although, I do have to admit there have been a fair number of surprises here."

"Such as…" He drawled lazily.

Her eyes flickered about checking for straying ears, "The Black girl and her friend the Cornwall's youngest are exceptionally talented in many areas. In fact a great number of the students are more talented than I thought they would be."

"What do you mean?" Snape asked.

"Well you know as well as I do the bad hype American wizards and witches have, that they are as good as muggles. I am finding this to be incredibly wrong, many of my students are more advanced in dueling and in different areas of magical studies than half of the Hogwarts seventh years."

"How so?" Snape asked curiosity coloring his deep voice.

"Like Hogwarts, Salem is divided, all magical schools are. It is just that here at Salem it seems that the division of houses is based on talent rather than personality. It does not seem that way at first but I have been compiling a list of which areas each student excels at and I am finding that each house seems to specialize in something. Take Fear house for example they all are incredible duelists, many of those students I have had to put on advanced tracks. I have two second year girls I am training in silent spell casting."

Snape stopped grabbing her arm to halt her movements his dark eyes wide with worry. "Why are they so good?" He asked.

"I don't know," she said rubbing her forehead, "It is as if the sword in the stone knew what magic inclinations each student had. The Blood house happens to be exceptional with potions and transfiguration. It is as if they have all come to school with training under their belts."

"Is it possible their parents are teaching them ahead of time?" He asked and Heidi nodded.

"In some cases I am thinking that is what is taking place, but with the two Black children I know that is not the case since their parents are strangely against their magic tutorial."

Snape eyed the woman in front of him with a fierce gaze, "You care for them cousin, these two have struck something in you I can see it."

"Yes I suppose they have."

Snape nodded, "What is it about them that has melted the Ice Princess's cold heart?" He grumbled.

"They have no one to turn to no one to guide them. They have their friends and no adult to speak of who will teach them what path is best for them. I don't want to see them end up in Azkaban like their mother and father." She sighed.

"Heidi sometimes there is nothing that can be done, I fear that blood might turn out to be thicker than your guidance. They don't want to be saved, not even someone as skilled as you can stop them from this course if they don't want to be stopped." Snape whispered.

"I know," she sighed, "But that doesn't mean I am not going to try." The two remained outside for a moment longer before they headed off to find the others.

Quirrell slowly emerged from the shadow of the front entrance an oddly pleased look on his face. "You are right master…yes of course master…it will be done master." He whispered before he too went in search of the other staff members.

The next day seemed to drag by for all parties involved, with the late night the students and staff pulled they all felt as if they were dragging by in a fog. Reid and Caleb went about canceling their dates for the night much to their girlfriends displeasure but they both knew they couldn't back out on their friends again. At half past seven the friends started heading the old medical wing from different parts of the school quietly hoping to sneak in without someone seeing them.

Caleb approached the old wing full of old hospital beds and old potion bottles from the charms wing. He peaked around the corner and saw the large double doors that led to the wing looking to see if anyone was around. He saw no one but for some strange reason he felt as if he were being watched. Caleb shook it off as his paranoia catching up to him and he slowly went through the doors looking around for any of the others.

Soft frantic whispers brought him to the end of the corridor into the old healer's office. All of his friends were there gathered around a desk looking at the newspaper, its figures of goblins moving around the front page seemed to have their attention. "Bout time you got here." Tyler grumbled, "Look at his." He said shoving the newspaper towards his friend.

"Gringots Break In." Caleb read.

"They Goblins are worried, everyone is no one has ever succeeded in breaking into that bank and living to take something out." Jasmine said.

"With all the damn spells and wards around that place not to mention the creatures guarding the old pureblood and high security vaults it is supposed to be impossible. Whoever did this is up to no good." Pogue whispered.

"I don't understand." Alex huffed, "Are you all just paranoid or something because to me it seems like all you ever do is freak out."

Reid laughed at their friend grabbing his stomach as he tried not to fall to the ground. It was nice to have innocence around like Liz and Alex; they didn't grow up fearing the dark like they did. "Alex my friend the reason…" Reid had to stop because giggles overtook him again.

Tyler rolled his eyes but a grin was present on his face, "Alex the reason we are so scared and worried about every little thing that happens is because we have learned the hard way that there are a lot of bad people in the world. When something makes the paper like this is strikes us funny. We have seen a lot of good wizards go bad." Tyler said.

"Gringots is the safest place in the world Alex, the protection around that place rivals Hogwarts which was smack in the center of several wars. It would take someone with not only a lot of power but dark power at that to get in and out of there alive. Whatever they were after is nothing good." Caleb said.

"And wit da whole Calisto thing wez are worried Alex. Too many things are starting ta add up and not in a good way." Serena said a shiver jerking her body about

"This is part of what I saw." A low whisper broke through the conversation. All eyes flickered to a scared Louise who was hugging herself off to the side.

"What?" Pogue asked.

"Last night when I got scared it was because of what I saw. My mom always told me she had dreams and if they were strong enough they would sometimes come true just like grandma, but I never believed her."

"Wait like a seer?" Reid asked and Louise nodded.

"At first my grandma just brushed off her dreams as intuition that something bad was going to happen until she started to see things that she couldn't possibly predict." Louise groaned running her hands through her long blonde locks. "I thought they were both crazy but now I am starting to dream things."

"What did you see?" Liz asked.

"I saw a dark shadow enriching on us on the world. It wasn't much it was hard to understand what was going on but we were sitting at a table in the library and this newspaper and three others were in front of us. One had Calisto's death as a headline, the bank break in was the second, and the third…"

"What?" Corry asked.

"It said mass break out from Azkaban."

"What about the forth?" Reid asked.

Caleb didn't like how Louise was now visibly shaking where she stood, Liz putting an arm around the girl to steady her. "The Dark Lord has returned." She whispered.

"Well dere is another piece of the damn puzzle. Maybe we should tell dem what we heard Liz." Serena said.

"What?" Caleb demanded.

"Remember how the professors said that they were talking about Calisto's death in the staff room and how we overheard. Well they were talking about improving the wards around the school. They think that whoever killed her is going to come back but for us this time." Liz said motioning to their group.

"They are afraid." Serena mumbled, "Cause they think dat the Dark Lord might be behind all of this that he is sneaking into Salem somehow."

Caleb blew out a deep breath trying to fight off the sick feeling building up in him. "Oh god this is bad." He gasped out.

"Why is this happening?" Jasmine whimpered, "Why all of us?" Corry seemed to sense her mounting distress as he pulled her into a hug rubbing her back.

"It will be okay Jas we won't let anything happen to you, never." He whispered.

"He's right; we are not going to let anyone get hurt." Pogue growled.

"What exactly do you propose we do?" Alex asked, "Because from where I am standing we are just kids, there is not much we are able to do without getting ourselves killed."

Tyler nodded, "He is right Pogue while we want to do something there is nothing we can do."

Liz suddenly looked to Louise, "You said you knew what secret Calisto was hiding."

Louise's face brightened slightly and she nodded eagerly. "That's right I almost forgot about that part, it was the one that didn't freak me out as bad so I didn't focus on it. As we were sitting around the table Alex had said something like, 'so dark is the night but there remains a light, a covenant bound. The darkness will rise and crash over the earth and the old master will seek new powers. The covenant will be found.' It didn't sound that scary to me but I know that Calisto had to have said that."

Caleb really did look ill this time, "Louise that's not a good omen." He whispered.

"But there was nothing scary in what he said." She pointed out.

"If you look hard enough yeah there is." Reid laughed darkly. "Louise we are the new covenant. The darkness rising is the Dark Lord and apparently he is going to make bitches out of all of us."

Louise blanched at that, "Oh."

"How do you know Calisto was the one who said that though?" Alex asked.

Louise got a far off look in her eyes, "I don't know…" They could practically see her mind working as she replayed her dream over in her mind's eye. "Your hands." She whispered her eyes flying to Alex. "When you were saying that you were holding something in your hands it was…a necklace I think or a talisman."

Pogue shifted around a strange look crossing his face before he started rummaging around the room pulling open drawers until he found a quill and ink. "Louise…" He said getting her attention. "Did the talisman look something like this?" He asked drawing what looked like a diamond with a small square in the center. "Was in onyx is a strange colored stone in the center?" He asked as Caleb gasped his eyes widening.

"Yeah." She said.

"It was Calisto's she used to wear it all the time, never took the damn thing off." Pogue muttered. "That is how you knew it was her secret you saw the talisman."

Louise shook her head her curls bouncing about, "But I never saw her."

"It doesn't matter it was symbolic you didn't have to see her for your seer abilities to recognize that it was important, it just made the connection for you." Caleb said.

"So Louise is a seer?" Corry asked.

"Looks like it." Pogue chuckled darkly. "This could turn out to be interesting."

"I so owe my mom an apology." Louise mumbled.

"We should tell your dad Pogue. As the current leader he has a right to know what is going on and he is in a position to actually do something." Tyler voiced.

"He is right we need to tell him." Caleb agreed.

"For now though he and our dads are the only ones to know. They need to figure out what to do. There is no need as of yet to cause a full blown panic." Reid cautioned.

"No reason!" Serena yelled making Louise jump. "Of course there is a reason too many damn pieces of this freak of a puzzle are fallin inta place here. Something bad is coming for us and we are sitting ducks."

"Serena let me talk to my dad, he has dealt with this kind of thing before, he might be able to advise us on something we can do so that we don't feel as helpless and useless as we do." Pogue said trying to calm the raging girl down.

"I hate that we can't do anything." Alex grumbled.

"I know we all do but right now if we try to do anything it could draw unwanted attention to us. If it is You Know Who then we have to figure out how he is getting into Salem and how he knows who we are. Last time around he wanted nothing to do with American magic, what changed." Caleb whispered.

***

The Great Hall was packed full of wizards and witches spells flying around the room in an alarmingly small space. Caleb slammed his elbow into a deatheater's mask making the man scream in agony. "Stay the hell away from my daughter you bitch!" The voice of Molly Weasley screaming startled him. Caleb looked up and saw the redheaded woman's wand pointed at Bellatrix Lestrange who looked oddly satisfied.

"Go Molly." Someone whispered as many stopped to stare at what was sure to be a spectacle.

"No." Caleb whispered moving through the crowd towards two women. Bellatrix saw him coming and gave him a grim smile.

"Oh she wants to play." Bella trilled laughing manically. Caleb knew the woman well enough to hear the lie, she was up to something.

Caleb tried to move closer to her when he felt two sets of hands grab onto him one small and delicate the other large and muscular. "She needs to do this." The shaky voice of Narcissa Malfoy shocked him. "My sister has a lot to atone for and this is her way."

"By getting herself killed?" Caleb growled the other set of hands tightening on his arm painfully.

"No you do not understand." One of the Lestrange brothers whispered. "But soon you will."

***


	11. The Dark Summer

Part 10: The Dark Summer

The rest of the year went by oddly fast. The students around the school started to notice small changes in their beloved Salem. There were more rules and restricted areas where certain students were not allowed, this was a far cry from the open exploration Salem previously allowed. The Headmaster explained to the students that these changes were for their protection and that they meant well. The group knew that there was more to it than that, the European schools were starting to enforce their will on Salem. Many of the changes were frighteningly similar to those imposed at Hogwarts such as a restricted section of the library housing books full of spells deemed too dangerous for students.

Another source of irritation for the group was Professor Prince's annoyingly close eye she kept on them. No matter what they were doing it seemed as if she was always around the corner and just happened upon them. A pleasant change though was Reid and Caleb started to balance their time better opting to spend individual time with their friends instead of quick hellos and goodbyes.

Sadly summer came far too quickly for their liking and the friends saw themselves saying goodbye to one another again. Liz and Alex didn't have the same comfort of going home as their friends knowing the oppressive environment that was going to welcome them in Roswell.

Tyler looked over at Liz as she looked out the window of the train another depressed sigh escaping her small body. "Cheer up Lizzie remember you can see us whenever you want all you have to do is will yourself to us." Tyler said trying to cheer her up as he slung an arm over her shoulders.

Liz gave him a small smile, "Yeah but what happens if I walk in on something naughty?" She asked with a small giggle.

Tyler rolled his eyes at her, "Chances of that happening with me are slim, girls in Ipswich are gold diggers or snobs. Nope you Liz can pop in on me anytime and I would gladly welcome your company." Tyler said making her smile wider.

"Same goes for you. Maybe you can come to Roswell and I can finally force you to drink a Blood of Alien smoothie that my family's restaurant is so famous for."

Tyler laughed, "Right and I can meet this Maria friend of yours, she sounds a lot like Louise."

Liz nodded, "She is I am sure you will find her just as amusing."

Tyler squeezed her tighter to him making her squeal, "Maybe but she will never be as amusing as you Lizzie." Liz let out another shriek as she felt his fingers dig into her sides tickling her. Gales of laughter left her as she fell across his lap as her body went weak from his assault. Pogue and Serena watched them amused while Louise and Jasmine cheered Liz on as she failed time and time again to get away. Finally Tyler and her rolled onto the ground where he pinned her with his knees so he could tickle her better.

Neither of the two heard the compartment door slide open as Caleb and Reid appeared before them. "What is it with you and your need to tickle Liz?" Caleb growled startling the tickle monster. Tyler looked up at his friends with wide blue eyes as Liz tried to regulate her breathing.

"He just likes the feel of her wiggling underneath him, it fuels his fantasies." Pogue laughed making Serena snort.

"Sept he would prefer her naked when she waz doin it." Serena giggled sending Louise and Jasmine into a fit of laughter as well.

"What is going on in here?" Alex asked as he and Corry pushed in behind Caleb and Reid. "Oh Tyler is on Liz again."

"Sad that this is becoming a common sight." Corry agreed in mock pity.

Caleb clenched his fists tightly at the comments swimming about the urge to hurt someone growing stronger by the second. Tyler blushed red as he crawled off Liz helping her up. "Aw I was having fun." Liz pouted hugging his waist, "If only you were the one naked." She sighed before giggling at the shocked look on his face.

"When and where Black when and where." He joked.

"My house tonight just climb up the ladder in my ally and knock on my window." Liz giggled.

"I will be there with protection."

"We have spells for that." Liz snickered.

"Okay TMI dudes." Reid laughed.

"Garwin yous just jealous youz can't get in on da Black action. If Iz I dude Id do Lizzie." Serena said.

"See this is one fine piece of woman." Liz said giggled when Alex poked her in the side.

Tyler saw the snack cart move down the hall and he quickly excused himself, Caleb following behind. "Hey Caleb." Tyler greeted when he saw his friend standing behind him in line.

"Tyler." Caleb ground out. Tyler shot his friend a worried look but quickly brushed his unease off as Caleb just being Caleb. "Tyler what is going on between you and Liz?" Caleb suddenly asked.

"Gee that's a little blunt." Tyler said when he finally regained his wits handing the wizard some money as he took his treats. "Why do you want to know?"

"So there is something going on between you?" Caleb asked his arm reaching out to stop Tyler's movements. A dark look came about his eyes as he stared at his friend and Tyler had no idea what to make of it.

"Not really man the two of us just mess around a lot. She is different than most girls in case you hadn't noticed, she doesn't care about the money and the powerful magic that flows in us all she cares about is the real us." Tyler said.

"So the two of you aren't like thinking of dating or anything?" Caleb asked trying to look as uncaring as possible but Tyler could easily pick up on the worry.

"Not at the moment, why?" Tyler asked his blue eyes narrowing at his friend. "Why do you care so much, you have a girlfriend remember?"

"I just don't want to see Liz hurt she is…young." Caleb said.

"Not that young." Tyler grunted.

"No but you are a lot older than her."

Tyler raised an eyebrow at that, "Not that much older than her Caleb I am like two years older than her. Besides we aren't exactly looking to score right now."

Caleb pinched the bride of his nose as he stared at his friend a grimace coming over him. "Just be careful Tyler." Caleb groaned.

"Yeah whatever man." Tyler grumbled pushing his way past his friend into the compartment. A funny burning feeling took place in Caleb's chest as he watched Tyler sit next to Liz and whisper something in her ear making her laugh. There was a slight tug in his stomach every time he watched her eyes light up or a wide smile come over her and for the life of him he couldn't figure out what that feeling was.

Caleb sat down next to Louise forcing everyone to suck it in if they wanted to sit together, Alex and Corry opting for the floor with Reid and Jasmine. Louise was gazing absently in front of her biting her lower lip as her eyes flickered to and from Corry every so often a look of fear clouding their depts. "You alright?" Caleb asked.

Her gaze swung to him as she let out a shaky breath. "Something is wrong." She whispered softly, "I can feel it, every night in my dreams I see a growing shadow in my mind. I see red walls and cold footfalls in the night. The shadows warn that by the end of summer one of us will forever remain in the garden of good and evil."

"A prophecy?" Caleb asked.

"I think so, this is only the second time so I am still unsure of what is going on." Louise admitted ducking her head slightly.

"Do you want to tell the others?" Caleb asked quietly.

Louise shook her head furiously, "No not yet I don't want to worry them for nothing. I want to talk to my mom about it first and see if she can help me understand the images better."

"Louise you said garden of good and evil you know what that is right?" Caleb asked.

"I think so; all I know is that I heard Pogue whisper it in my dreams."

"Louise the garden of good and evil is a cemetery. It is supposed to be the one place where things are buried that are both light and dark." Caleb said and the small blonde nodded.

"I thought so." She whispered. "Please Caleb don't tell the others yet I want to make sense of what I saw before I ruin their summer." Louise begged her large eyes imploring him to agree with her. Caleb was helpless to disagree so he reluctantly nodded.

Caleb's eyes were drawn back to Liz and Tyler their closeness instantly creating a raging heat inside him. He didn't like the way Tyler would brush against her skin or talk lowly to her never taking his eyes off of her. Even worse was how Liz responded to him blushing at the slightest teasing comment, goose bumps on her flesh if the touch was too light.

"They are just friends you know." Louise suddenly whispered beside him. Caleb reluctantly broke his gaze away from Tyler and Liz to look at her. She was looking at the two across from them a small smile on her face. "I guess what you would call their relationship is more experimentation than anything. They mean nothing serious." Louise whispered.

"Looks serious to me." He grumbled.

"That's because you are looking at it emotionally. He does not feel for her what you feel for her." Louise said.

"What I feel for her?" Caleb chocked looking at her through wide eyes.

Louise just grinned at him, "You will figure it out eventually Caleb." She sighed before she turned to look out the window.

The train ride came to an end far too quickly for the group of friends. Caleb and Reid quickly said their goodbyes as they went to find their girlfriends to arrange meeting times. Tyler and Pogue just rolled their eyes preferring to take their time. "So you promise to come and visit me?" Liz begged the others.

"Promise." Tyler said, "Who knows I might even drop by tonight."

"Liz you know we will come and see you and if we don't you can pop in on us and kick our butts." Corry said.

"Come on Liz we need to go so we don't miss our plane, you know our parents would cream us if we did." Alex said gently tugging on her hand to lead her along. Tyler quickly grabbed her hand and tugged her closer to him making Alex stop. Tyler wrapped his arms around her and gave her a tight hug placing a kiss on her head before he released her.

"See you soon Lizzie." He whispered as she gave him a sad smile before she walked away.

"Youz goin ta see her tonight?" Serena asked smirking at the guy.

"Most definitely," Tyler said a large grin suddenly on his face.

"Youz really think dis whole plans gonna make Caleb see da light?" Serena asked.

"Oh it will." Pogue snickered.

"He already cornered me." Tyler admitted softly.

"So that's what took so long." Pogue snorted.

"How the hell did you get Liz to go along with this?" Corry asked softly watching as Tyler fought a blush.

"I might have told her that I was doing this to make someone jealous." Tyler admitted in a low hiss.

"Who?" Pogue asked.

"Well I couldn't say I was doing this to make Caleb jealous so he would dump is slut of a girlfriend who is sleeping with half the school for Liz so I had to improvise." Tyler defended.

"Who?" Pogue asked again.

"Louise." Tyler sighed.

Said girl just laughed as she leaned against Jasmine, "This should be interesting." She giggled.

"I know, besides the two of us did agree that it would be nice to have some experience under out belts for later." Tyler quickly added.

Pogue suddenly stopped and narrowed his dark eyes at his friend. "Experience how?"

Tyler wouldn't meet his gaze, "Well I am the least experienced of the four of us never actually having kissed a girl let alone doing anything else and I told Liz this and she might have agreed to ah…experiment with me." Tyler mumbled.

Serena laughed falling into Corry for support as Pogue just stared wide eyed at his best friend. "Oh Caleb is so going to kill you." Pogue whispered.

"What Danvers doesn't know won't hurt him." Serena giggled.

"I have a feeling he is going to find out anyway." Corry mumbled.

"You aren't going to like go all the way with her are you? Cause Danvers would blow a fuse faster than well…" Louise glanced at Pogue who just glared at her.

"No!" Tyler screeched blushing when he realized how loud and girlish he sounded.

"But theyz are gonna do other stuff." Serena giggled.

"Maybe." Tyler sighed.

"Well I don't know if it will make Caleb jealous so much as piss him off." Jasmine sighed, "I mean we all know he has it bad for her but he is too thick to realize it. I don't know if seeing his best friend with her will be the right push he could just back off more."

"Nope Caleb is not like that he is like a dog with a toy. When he sees another dog has his favorite bone he gets hostile and fights for his bone. He does not give in without a fight to the death." Tyler said.

"Well then this summer should be interesting." Jasmine sighed.

Liz and Alex arrived back in Roswell sooner than they would have liked. Their parents were there to greet them and Liz shied away when her father and mother tried to hug her opting to stick close to Alex instead who seemed to sense her discomfort keeping his hand firmly locked in hers.

"Welcome home sweetie." Nancy said giving Liz a strained smile.

"Right." Liz said attempting to give her a small smile but completely ignoring her dad. It soon became apparent to Jeff Parker that all was not forgiven as far as his daughter was concerned. Nancy squeezed her husband's arm and led the way out to the cars leaving the teens to trail behind miserably.

"I hate it here." Alex grumbled softly.

"I know, just think next year is our last year of being at school full time." Liz whispered.

"Ugh don't remind me I don't want to go to high school." Alex whined.

"Well I will be there to tough it out with you and we will at least get to spend more time with Maria and Kyle." Liz added and Alex nodded reluctantly.

"Hey did you read the paper this morning?" Alex asked and Liz shook her head.

"No why?"

"Well apparently some famous alchemist died. Nicholas something or other."

"He famous?" Liz asked and Alex nodded.

"Apparently he created the sorcerer's stone which is now destroyed. Apparently he and his wife are tired of living forever." Alex snorted.

"I somehow think there is more to it than that Alex." Liz laughed.

"I don't know I just thought it was interesting." Alex added, "Well that and that Professor that we met at the beginning of the year is dead."

"Which one?" Liz gasped.

"The Defense teacher from Hogwarts, Quil I think it was." Alex said.

"What happened to him?" Liz asked.

"Apparently he was into some dark stuff and it backfired and killed him or at least that is one theory going around. Apparently the only people who really know what went on are Dumbledore, McDougle the deputy headmistress, and that Potter kid."

"Why would Potter know what happened?" Liz asked as they approached the familiar cars their parents drove.

"Because apparently he was there when it happened." Alex whispered.

Liz shivered suddenly a dark pull in her stomach, "I don't know Alex I get the feeling that there is a hell of a lot more to the story than they are letting on." Liz said.

"Of course there is Liz have you learned nothing from the Ipswich witches, there is always a catch with those people at Hogwarts they all have hidden agendas and only let on half of what is really going on." Alex said as Jeff waved Liz into the backseat. It was apparent that Liz did not want to be separated from her friend but the sour look on Jeff Parker's face left no room for compromise.

"See you later Alex." Liz sighed.

"Cheer up Liz I think Simms is going to drop by later." Tyler said making Liz smile as she instantly perked up.

"You're right." She sighed before she finally got into the car.

"So Liz excited to see Maria?" Nancy asked kindly knowing that her husband would receive no response.

"Yes." Liz replied softly.

"Liz when we get home your mom and I have some news that I think you are going to be pretty excited about." Jeff said grinning at her through the rearview mirror.

Liz gave him a bleak smile, "Doubt it," She whispered but they heard her anyway. Nancy shared a strained look with her husband and the rest of the car ride was silent.

Liz groaned when they reached the café and her parents rushed her upstairs and made her sit patiently on the couch as they made a production of telling her the news. "Liz your mother and I are expecting a baby." Jeff suddenly blurted out.

Liz just gapped at their grinning faces knowing the reaction they wanted but unable to muster up the act. All she could do was stare, this was her worst nightmare come true. She always knew she was not the daughter her father wanted she was too much like her biological mother and too distant from him. She was a magical freak like him and he wanted her to be human. She was going to get shunted to the side even more and her father would no longer want anything to do with her. Thousands of thoughts raced through her head and all of them ended with Liz alone and miserable no longer part of her family.

"Right, congrats." She finally croaked never meeting their gaze before she stood up and walked to her room closing the door firmly behind her. She could hear them whispering to each other in the family room as the tears welled in her eyes pain taking over her. It looked like her parents were going to get what they wanted after all, a real child of their own. Nancy would have her child with Liz's father and she would no longer have to pretend to care for the temporary child from Jeff's previous relationship.

Shudders ran through Liz as she leaned against her door hugging her knees to her chest. She could feel the shift in the air as soft pops were heard around her she could just feel them there. "Liz?" Pogue's deep voice rumbled in the expanse of her room. Liz looked up through teary eyes and saw all of her friends there even Reid and Caleb all looking anxious.

"Lizzie what is it?" Tyler asked crouching down next to her.

"I am being replaced." Liz whimpered.


	12. The Dark Summer II

Part 11: The Dark Summer II

Liz ignored the knocking on her door as she cuddled closer to Tyler, the others having left hours ago. Logically she knew that her father would never replace her that she was his daughter forever and always but emotionally she couldn't wrap herself around the concept. Tyler gently stroked her back and arm as she rested on his chest.

"Liz, "Her father called through the door, "Open up please we need to talk."

Liz clung tighter to Tyler not wanting him to move or go. His blue eyes glanced down at her meeting her large doe eyes reassuring her that he was not going anywhere that he was with her to the end. "Elizabeth Parker open this door right now!" Jeff barked from the other side of the door.

"You might want to open the door before he comes busting in here." Tyler's deep voice rumbled in the darkness of the room as night set on the small town of Roswell.

"He wouldn't dare." Liz grumbled.

"He is upset there is no telling what he might do Liz." Tyler reminded her.

Liz let out a long sigh rolling her eyes before she rolled off of him and wrenched the door open. Jeff had been about to knock when the door swung open revealing his moody teenage daughter. Jeff glanced at her and then into her room where Tyler was sitting up on her bed unworried that Jeff had seen him there.

"Who is this?" Jeff barked at his daughter his dark eyes narrowing at her.

"Tyler Simms my friend." Liz huffed crossing her arms over her chest as she glared up at her father.

"What is he doing in your room young lady?" He asked.

"We were just talking." Liz grumbled.

"I highly doubt you were just talking young lady." Jeff snapped pushing his way into her room.

"We were!" Liz yelled her frustration catching up to her again the stress of her emotional rollercoaster sending emotions stampeding through her.

"We were just talking Mr. Parker. I sensed she was upset and I came to talk." Tyler said knowing that Jeff was about to cause a lot of problems for him. He was not happy with the older man who still seemed to disregard his daughter; it was obvious Liz had been crying but Jeff ignored that in favor of yelling about the boy in her room.

"How the hell could you have 'sensed' that she was upset?" Jeff growled.

Tyler glanced at Liz and then flipped his arm over revealing the mark on his wrist that he knew Jeff had seen and sensed on his daughter, the vibe of the dark and powerful magic unmistakable. "We are connected, I knew she needed me and I came. It is hard to ignore the call of someone you love in pain." Tyler said glaring at Liz's father hoping he would pick up on the double meaning.

Jeff clenched his jaw tightly the jaw bone popping from the strain. Liz looked away from her dad when she saw that he was not happy with her, she felt like yelling at him screaming at him that she was not happy with him either but as usual in her relationship with her father she kept her mouth shut.

"Why the hell would she be in pain?" Jeff barked.

"I don't know you tell me, we were the ones who found her upset." Tyler grunted.

"We?" Jeff growled turning his gaze onto his daughter again.

"Well I do have more than one friend." Liz huffed hugging herself tighter; she hated this she wanted him to leave so that she could go back to spending time with her friend. She wanted to go back to school and forget that this day and this announcement ever happened.

"There is nothing for her to be upset about…" Jeff said but the dark look that the teenage boy sent him cut him deep. It was sharp and accusing and Jeff could see his disgust as if he had spit at him.

"Nothing for her to be upset about you and your wife just made Liz feel as if she were being replaced in your family. It was oh Liz be happy we are going to have a baby no mention of but we still love you and you will always be my first born daughter." Tyler growled. "Liz was obviously upset and neither of you cared. The only reason you were even coming in here was because Liz wasn't all happy and you wanted to yell at her for raining on your parade."

Jeff glared at the boy, "That is not true," Jeff huffed.

"Yes it is dad." Liz whispered her eyes welling with tears as she stared at Tyler. "He should know." She whimpered.

Jeff looked confused as he stared at the two. Tyler locked eyes with Jeff his blue eyes lulling him into a hypnotic gaze, "My father has been teaching me legilimency, your mind is rather easy to break into obviously your years with Bellatrix taught you nothing." Tyler snapped hitting Jeff below the belt.

Tyler flinched when he felt a mental shield erect suddenly in Jeff Parker's mind. "I know more than you think I just never thought I would have to use one around a teenager who shouldn't know such dark things."

Tyler rubbed his forehead glaring at Jeff Parker, "Sometimes to keep the bad away you have to know how to play their game. Right Mr. Parker."

Liz felt ill as she stared at her friend and father staring each other down as if their gaze could set the other ablaze. She just wanted to be left alone to sort out her mind and Tyler was helping her do that. She hated that her father was only there to yell at her, she had a right to be angry no one could dictate her emotions. She couldn't say what it was that set her off she would never know but one moment she was standing there with angry tears in her eyes ready to spill and the next she was ducking for cover as objects in her room started breaking and smashing as they flew off of shelves and onto the floor.

"Liz stop!" Tyler yelled from across the room. It was as if she had been disjointed from her body staring at the scene around her as if she were unconnected. There was no pain no feeling at all only energy rushing out of her, but the sound of Tyler's voice seemed to penetrate the fog and with a gasping breath the destruction stopped.

She sat there shaking on the floor as her magic reined in; Tyler hurried across the floor to her to see if she was alright as several pops sounded throughout the room. Pogue and Caleb rushed over to Liz when they saw her pale form shaking on the ground. "Tyler start her bath with cold water now!" Caleb barked as he picked Liz up the others ignoring Jeff Parker's shocked form entirely.

"Pogue go and get ice." Reid said as he went into the bathroom as well, "And lots of it we need to get her core's temperature down before she kills herself."

Jeff Parker finally managed to get his grip again when he stood up and saw teenagers rushing around his home. "What is going on? Liz?" He called when he saw her unresponsive in some kid's arms.

"She used too much." Caleb grunted, "I think the whole damn Covenant felt that one."

"What made her react Tyler?" Reid asked as he methodically stripped Liz down to her undergarments before Caleb or Jeff could protest.

"Her dad and I were getting into it." Tyler said.

"Caleb get ready we are going to have to hold her down." Reid said and the older boy nodded.

The others stood off to the side in a daze watching as Caleb lifted Liz into the cold water. "Why are they going to hold her down?" Corry asked.

"Wait for it." Serena whispered as Liz suddenly let out an unnatural scream as her body arched out of the water, Caleb and Reid holding her down as Pogue came back in with ice in a bowl.

"We are going to need more than that." Caleb grunted as he held a flailing Liz down.

Alex grabbed Louise's hand and dragged her to the Parker kitchen to help. Nancy who had been down in the café at the time rushed upstairs after she heard Liz's continuous screams rushing into Liz's room. Nancy screamed when she saw two strange boys holding Liz down in the tub, her maternal instinct kicked in as she raced into the room and started kicking and smacking Reid.

"Ow lady stop!" Reid roared releasing Liz to protect himself. Liz tried flinging herself out of the tub but Caleb threw her back in climbing in after her into the freezing water to pin her down.

Jeff quickly grabbed his wife around the waist and pulled her off the blonde teenager. "Nancy they are trying to help her." Jeff croaked staring at his daughter as Alex and his friend came back and dumped more ice into the tub as water sloshed onto the floor.

"How long?" Tyler asked.

"Too long." Reid groaned.

"Why the hell did she react like this?" Pogue thundered his gaze flashing to Jeff.

"Get my dad!" Reid barked as he removed his hand from Liz's neck trying to feel her racing pulse. "Now."

Pogue pulled out a muggle cell phone as he continued to pin the Parker's with his blazing stare. "It's Pogue we need you and my dad at Liz's. Her magical core overheated from her little freak out and now her insides are being liquefied. Dad we need you here like now." Pogue said as a crack sounded in Liz's suddenly too small bedroom as her friends and now Reid and Pogue's fathers were in her room along with her parents.

"She in the bath?" Paul asked and Pogue nodded motioning to the bathroom where Caleb was holding a squirming Liz down.

"Cold?" Ryan asked and Pogue nodded. "Quickly switch with Reid." Ryan said and the boys quickly complied trying to still restrain Liz.

"Whatever set her off had to be terrible, most people only react like that if they have repressed their emotions for a long period of time." Paul said as he pulled out his wand and tapped Liz's forehead several numbers appearing above her form. "Her core temperature is coming down slowly, but her heart rate is much too fast for being in such cold water."

Mumblings could be heard from the tub as Liz lolled her head from side to side. "I am bad…hates me…no one loves me…why now?" Liz whimpered.

Nancy gasped horrified as her hand covered her face to stifle the sob that wanted to escape. "No Lizzie baby no." Nancy sobbed her blue eyes welled with tears.

Ryan and Paul glanced at the parents for a second before they returned their attentions to Liz. "Once she is stable I want to take her home with me." Ryan said and Paul nodded.

"Now wait a minute…" Jeff finally spoke up, "She is my daughter and she is…"

"Emotionally unable to deal with you, it is apparent that she is not in a productive environment otherwise this would not have happened. You know that these attacks are rare Parker and only happen when the child is suffering severe emotional abuse." Paul snapped. "The wizengamot would not fault me for taking the child from you."

Jeff shook in anger at the insinuation that he was responsible for this, "Merlin help I will…"

"Do what Parker? You haven't practiced decent magic in years you are practically core constipated and you are forcing it upon your kid. Liz is not her mother she is not going to the dark side she is just trying to get by in a society that seems intent on seeing her fail. Stop trying to tell her that she is destined to fail. Home is supposed to be the place where you feel safe not the place you dread." Ryan Garwin snapped.

Caleb ignored the rest of the conversation as he stared at Liz being held by Reid in the tub. She looked too small in his arms as if she were going to break any second. The tremors in her body slowed but he could tell she was still down for the count. Tyler twitched nervously beside him stirring his ire as well. He couldn't explain why but for some reason the thought of his best friend alone with Liz in her room had him upset; he knew that Tyler was alone with Liz before the confrontation and it made him feel queasy.

"Dad is it safe to move her yet?" Pogue asked.

Paul shook his head, "Not for a bit yet Pogue. We need to get her stable before we do anything."

Ryan turned to Jeff and Nancy, "Look all we want is what is best for your daughter, and my wife is a trained healer. She is at work right now but if I take Liz home with me my wife would be able to look after her until we are sure she is able to go home."

Nancy gripped her husband's arm a sad look on her face. "Jeff if it would get our Lizzie better…"

Jeff gave his wife a look of betrayal but she pushed on, "Jeff I know nothing about the magical world, this core thing is foreign to me and I doubt you know what to do. These people can help her Jeff please let them help her. She will come home when she is better right?" Nancy asked turning back to Ryan Garwin who reluctantly nodded.

"Alright then she can go with you." Jeff whispered.


	13. The Dark Summer III

Part 12: The Dark Summer III

Reid watched as his father carried a spent Liz into the room connected to his through a large bathroom. He didn't want to take his eyes off her for fear something terrible would happen to her again. When he felt Liz's core go through a melt down his body felt as if it were on fire, it felt as if Liz were dying. The whole time he was holding her down in the tub he kept chanting to himself over and over again that his mother could make her better that she would be okay that he wasn't going to lose one of his best friends but seeing her still weak and so pale in front of him did nothing to ease his fears. He knew that the others had only reluctantly left when his father told them that so much nervous energy around Liz was not good for her in her volatile state.

Reid moved into the room and sat on the edge of the bed watching Liz as she squirmed about in a restless sleep. "Can I hold her?" Reid asked softly.

"Sure, that might even help calm her down." His father said as Reid kicked off his shoes and crawled under the covers with Liz. Her skin felt warm to the touch too warm as he slid his arms around her small form pulling her flush against him so she was cuddled close her head tucked under his chin.

"Is she going to be okay dad?" Reid asked.

Ryan Garwin gave his son a small sad smile. "Once she works out the issues she apparently has she will be. Mind telling me what set off this attack?"

Ryan saw his son was going to lie to him and he held up a large pale hand, "The truth please, Reid."

Reid sighed but he could see the defeat in his son's eyes. "Liz's relationship with her father isn't very good."

"I got that much I need more here Reid."

Anger flashed in his son's eyes as he launched into the long list of complaints he had about Jeff Parker. Most of the arguments Ryan already knew but his son threw several new ones at him including one where Jeff thought Liz was going evil because she was friends with the Ipswich Covenant. The more he listened the more weary Ryan grew, he knew that Liz had issues with her father and mother but nothing like this, he and Paul had their work cut out for them that summer.

The wards of the Garwin home flashed a brilliant gold as Anna Garwin appeared before the front gate. From the moment Ryan Garwin's wife walked into her home her husband rushed her up the stairs and into one of the guest bedrooms. The sight that met her would make any mother shriek in horror but for Anna Garwin it was not her son holding a girl in bed that had her worried it was the state of the girl. "How long has she been like this?"

Her husband looked grim beside her, "A little over two hours. Lucky for her Reid, Caleb, and Pogue have seen this before and knew how to react. They got her into a cold tub and tried to get her core temperature stable."

Anna nodded pulling out her wand and began tapping random parts of the girl different numbers and colors flashing each time, "You and your friends did well Reid, you saved her life." She smiled weakly at her son as more worrying numbers appeared over Liz.

"How bad is sit mom?"

"There is quite a bit of damage; several of her organs are as good as cooked. She will need an intense potion regime to get better."

Reid looked at her through hopeful blue eyes, "So she will get better?"

"Yes but I will need her here or at St. Williams to oversee her care."

"Her father granted permission for her to stay here during her recovery. Paul and I are hoping the boys might be able to help her work through whatever caused this." Ryan sighed running a hand through his blonde locks making it stick up in every direction.

"Her father being an idiot caused this." Reid growled.

Anna's brows furrowed as she stared at her son, sure he had a hot temper but he always had a good reason for being angry and for him to blame Liz Black's father she knew her father had to be the source of the trouble. "Poor girl," She muttered before she left the room to fetch the potions needed from her reserve storeroom in the basement. Liz had a long hard road ahead of her and Anna had the disgusting feeling that the child's pain had only just begun.

***

Jeff Parker paced the length of the café staring at the glass front door his daughter had left not a half hour ago. It had all happened so fast he was still unsure it had really happened but the furious whispers of the kids in the corner let him know it was real. His daughter, his only daughter, and her best friend and Cousin Alex had gone off to war.

Jeff glanced at the clock he had sitting on the counter with Alex and Liz's faces on it pointing to mortal peril. Slowly at an agonizing pace Jeff stopped and watched as one of the clock hands moved. Alex's face slowly ticked past school and home and landed on lost before seconds past and he landed on dead.

It felt as if someone had sat on his chest as the air left him in a pained rush. "No," He gasped causing the others to go silent.

"Mr. P?" Maria called softly as she slowly moved out of the booth on shaky legs to see what had her best friend's father a shaking mess at the counter. "What is it?" She asked.

Jeff seemed unable to answer as he lifted a shaky white finger and pointed to Alex's face. Maria looked closely at the strange clock and her green eyes widened a strangled squeak leaving her. "No," Maria gasped, "That thing has to be wrong."

Jeff shook his head sadly as he sat stiffly on a counter stool, "The clock never lies."

Maria gapped at him, "But the clock says Alex is dead that is not possible, he just left with Liz and Caleb I mean nothing dangerous could have happened."

Jeff laughed darkly at the girl, "Maria they weren't just heading to a party."

The silent café stared at him fear creeping into them, "Where did they go?" Michael's deep voice asked softly trying to fight the raging panic building in him.

"They went off to war."

***

It took two days for Liz to regain consciousness and be able to sit up on her own and even then the strain wore her out after a few hours. Al of her friends and their parents had come to visit her, even Alex's mother; her visit still surprised Liz but after hearing what the woman had to say Liz understood her best friend's mother a little better. She didn't say anything to her friends but they could tell that talk with the older woman gave Liz hope, that someday she would be able to better understand her father.

"Hey Lizzie," Reid called softly carrying a bed-tray of food into the room his long blonde locks falling softly into his eyes.

Liz grinned when she saw him, "Hey Reid it's great to see you."

"Is that because you missed me this morning or because I am carrying your food?" He laughed setting down her tray next to her.

"Maybe a little bit of both." She giggled.

"So I hear Mrs. Whitman came to see you." He prodded sitting down on the bed next to her leaning against the ornate headboard as she was.

Liz nodded a small smile coming over her pale face, "she did."

"What brought on the smile?" He asked hoping she would take away his burning curiosity.

Liz tilted her head to the side as she thought about if she should tell her friend or not, "I suppose I could tell you, I am sure Alex won't mind," She sighed.

"What does this have to do with Alex?"

"Everything," She whispered. "Mrs. Whitman explained to me why she is so against Alex getting too deep into our world and why she was so against all of you at first."

"Were they good reasons?" He huffed.

"Yes actually and for once I can say that if I were in her position I probably would have reacted the same way." The sad repentant look in Liz's eyes sent questions' buzzing through his head like killer bee's each stinging harder to get out.

"Okay and what position might that be?" He finally asked as she took a bite from the grilled cheese sandwich his father made; the only thing Ryan Garwin could make without poisoning the person.

"She sees a lot of Alex's father in him and a lot of my mother in me. It is hard for her to see past both looks and personality traits. I guess Alex takes after his father more than we realized. She sees our loyalty to each other as the same loyalty the Death Eaters have to Voldemort."

Reid nodded blowing out a breath, "I will give her the Death Eater thing because even I can see that connection."

"The mark we have is so similar in function to the dark mark I guess it is just scary for her knowing that my mother and Alex's father had them as well. She hated to say it to me but she felt I needed to hear it…"

"What?" Reid growled.

"That sometimes blood is thicker than water that we can't always fight who our relations are. She thought Sirius Black was as light as they come he seemed to against what the rest of the family was preaching, but then she finds out he was one of the most loyal followers of the Dark Lord…I guess it just reminded her that sometimes family has a way of sucking you in."

Reid cocked his head to the side his blue eyes widening, "She knows that some of our parents have family connections to Death Eaters." He whispered and Liz nodded.

"She is trying to see past blood connections because she knows it makes her a hypocrite and all but she said past experiences are hard to erase."

Reid shook his head clenching his jaw painfully, "They all need to learn that you and Alex are your own people you have minds of your own. Just because your parents made mistakes doesn't mean you are going to. We are loyal to each other not some power hungry war lord."

"I know and I think she is starting to see that as well, she is fond of Cory and Jasmine." Liz snickered.

"She hasn't met Louise obviously that girl can charm anyone." Reid snickered.

"Not yet but she will love her as well since she is like the magical version of Maria."

"I have to meet this Maria girl she sounds interesting for a muggle."

Liz nodded, "She is great." Liz let out a small yawn as her body started to slump over in bed.

"Get some rest Black; mom will be here shortly to give you your afternoon potions." Reid whispered helping her lay down.

"But my tummy no longer hurts." She whined.

"But it is still damaged, your liver, spleen, left kidney and small intestine are still badly damaged Liz. The potions are the only thing keeping you alive." Reid reminded her softly.

She groaned nodding her head lethargically, "I know but I still hate it."

Reid kissed the crown of her head before he left the room closing the guest bedroom door softly behind him. He hooked a right and went into his room where Tyler Simms was waiting on his couch off to the side. "So the others still are coming over today?" Reid asked and Tyler nodded.

"I plan on asking Liz for a little help this afternoon after she takes her potions." Tyler said and Reid nodded.

"You are a devious one Tyler Simms but it is for a good cause." Reid laughed softly.

"Anything to hook her and Caleb up finally I think they are the only ones who don't realize how perfect they are for each other." Tyler snorted throwing the stuffed ball he was holding at the basketball rim on the back of Reid's door.

"Well you know what they say, love is blind and all that shit." Reid chuckled.

"Think she will still go along with it?" Tyler asked.

"It's Liz of course she will; she thinks you are totally in love and will do anything to see you happy. She is a little too selfless at times."

"Something we will have to work on with her." Tyler agreed.

"When is your dad going to start his sessions with Liz?" Reid asked laughing at the look on Tyler's face.

"Next week, he wants her insides a little more healed before he begins to work on her head." Tyler huffed.

"I can't believe your dad is going to shrink our friend."

"He is thrilled at having the chance to dive into the mind of a child raised by a muggle and wizard and seeing the ramifications and psychological damage that has been done to her because of her parents repressing her true nature." Tyler snorted rolling his blue eyes.

"Your dad talking about it at the dinner table again?"

"Yeah, mom said that he is just excited to be helping out a friend of mine but I know it is just a unique patient that has him salivating." Tyler said.

"My mom loves having her here and all, dad said it is that whole maternal instinct thing or nesting or whatever the hell it is."

"He is blaming her pampering on her being pregnant?" Tyler asked and Reid nodded.

"Way I see mom doesn't care much because Liz is just another Garwin kid to her, Merlin knows there are enough of us." Reid grumbled.

"Your sister starting at Salem this year?" Tyler asked and Reid nodded looking miserable.

"My months of solitude are going to be ruined."

"I am so happy mom convinced dad to have my brother so late in life." Tyler laughed, "That way the two of us will never be at school together."

"Don't rub it in." Reid whined.

"Looks like Caleb and Pogue are the lucky ones." Tyler snickered.

"Pogue said his mom is pestering his dad about having a baby, so maybe Caleb is the lucky one."

"Well Pogue doesn't have one yet." Tyler pointed out.

"Dude Pogue has to hear his mom beg for a baby that is so wrong." Reid grumbled.

"Well now Liz is going to know what our lives are like." Tyler snickered.

"No," Reid scowled, "We know our parents love us she doesn't exactly have that guarantee. To Liz a new sibling means being shunted to the side not someone to play with and tease."

"Well I know her dad loves her I read that much from him, but he doesn't have his priorities straight. The new baby will have two parents to look after it while Liz only has one and Jeff Parker needs to realize that the baby has Nancy, Liz needs him."

"I still like the idea of my mom adopting Liz the best." Reid huffed.

"Pogue would rather his parents adopt her, I think he is hoping that having a girl around would dissuade his mother from wanting another kid."

Reid shrugged, "Might work." He picked up the stuffed ball off the ground and tossed it back and forth with Tyler. "So what all do you have planned for our so very innocent Liz?"

"You forget I am pretty much on the same page as her. I know that this is to get her with Caleb but there is no harm in practicing with my best friend, at least I know she will give me honest feedback."

"Practice for what?" Reid asked.

"For when I get the girl, I don't want to be an inexperienced mess."

Reid dropped the ball his face flushed pink, "You are not going to have sex with Liz." He hissed.

Tyler sat looking horrified and insulted, "Of course not I have more respect for her than that I am not going to use her! The point is to get her with Caleb not practice having sex with her. I meant practice kissing and being close with a girl. In case you hadn't noticed Reid the only woman in my life before I met the girls was my mother."

"Yeah not exactly like you can practice kissing with her." Reid chuckled.

Reid and Tyler stayed in Reid's room the rest of the morning until Anna Garwin gave Liz her afternoon potions. Liz would get a second wind half an hour after she took the potions that would usually last for two to three hours. They could hear Liz showering in the connected bathroom and then her soft footfalls as she made her way back to bed. Reid checked the clock and chucked a sock ball at Tyler's head.

"If you are planning on practicing you might want to get in there the others should be here in fifteen."

"Not a lot of time." Tyler whispered.

Reid laughed at his friend, "When you get into it that is plenty of time. Besides I am right next door I do not want to hear grunting and moaning so fifteen is perfect."

"Well if you will excuse me, Liz and I need fifteen minutes of uninterrupted practice time."

"Sounds so clinical." Reid laughed.

"Sounds fun." Tyler corrected before he walked through the bathroom and knocked on Liz's door.

"Come on in." She croaked setting down her summer homework grinning when she saw it was Tyler. "Hey you, what's up?"

"The others are going to be here soon and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind putting that little plan of ours into action?" Tyler asked giving her his best puppy dog look.

"Wow you really want to make her jealous." Liz sighed.

"I really like her and I know she is jealous of the time I have been spending with you." Tyler laughed sitting down next to her.

Liz fidgeted nervously, "I know this is for a good cause and all but I can't help but be nervous."

"Liz it's just me." He pointed out.

"True," she nodded "It's just I have never kissed someone so I don't know how real this is going to look." Liz said her pale face turning a soft pink.

Tyler gave her one of his devilish grins, "Well then we are just going to have to practice after all the more real looking the better. Besides I haven't kissed anyone either." He pointed out.

Liz laughed, "Okay so where do we start?"

"Oh Merlin just kiss her already!" Reid yelled startling the two witches on the bed.

"Reid!" Liz groaned her hands flying to her face.

"Fine I will kiss her!" Tyler growled pulling her hands away from her face as he gingerly pulled her to him taking her by surprise when his lips met hers. She stared at him through wide eyes as his lips moved on hers; it took seconds before she finally realized what was happening. Her eyes fluttered closed as she responded to him surprised at the soft warmth of his lips, a slight orange tang to his lips that pulled her deeper as if she needed to taste more of him. She felt his hands tangle in her long brown locks her hands found their way to his waist unconsciously trying to bring him closer to her.

Neither of them heard the front door open nor the pounding of numerous footsteps on the steps. Pogue opened the door holding a bear for Liz as Caleb and Serena pushed in behind him grins on their faces as the others waited out in the hall. Caleb gasped at the sight of his best friend practically mauling Liz. "Looks like Tyler's giving Liz his own brand o medicine." Serena giggled.

Tyler and Liz froze on the bed before the pushed away from each other their faces flushed and chests heaving. Liz wouldn't meet anyone's eyes as a laughing Pogue and Serena moved towards them the others trickling in as well pushing past a frozen Caleb. "So Liz how ya feeling?" Pogue asked pushing Tyler off the bed and onto the floor as he bounced up and down on the bed jerking Liz about.

"Obviously she is feelin good if she is sucking the face off Simms." Serena giggled as Liz blushed a soft shade of pink.

"I am feeling better but I am not allowed to leave the house yet, Anna would murder me and have Ryan dig the grave the muggle way as punishment for not watching me." Liz mumbled.

"And no doubt make me help." Reid groaned before he turned to Liz, "Don't leave the house or this room whatever you do."

"Not until I am allowed." Liz agreed squeezing his hand before a slightly worried look came over her. "Although even when I am better I don't want to leave this room, I think Ryan and Anna will recruit me to babysit." She shuddered at the thought.

"Hey my siblings aren't that bad." Reid grunted.

"They tied you to the banister this morning and it took an hour for your dad to undo it, with magic." Liz pointed out.

Pogue raised an eyebrow at his friend who ducked his head bashfully, "They used accidental magic to make the bindings stick but I am not sure how much of it was accidental." He grumbled.

The friends spent the rest of the afternoon catching up and cheering Liz up, Caleb staying to the fringe watching Liz though sad brown eyes. There was something different in his eyes something strong as he stared at Liz. Pogue noticed the difference and smirked, he was going to have to talk to his friend later, he knew what that change was. After a little over an hour Liz's form started slumping over and the others bid her goodbye.

"So did you all hear we are getting a new Charms professor this year?" Jasmine asked bouncing on the balls of her feet slightly as they stood in the foyer.

"Why?" Caleb asked through narrowed eyes, "Professor Cook wasn't ready to retire."

"Youz didn't hear?" Serena asked looking nervously at the others.

"Obviously not." Caleb growled, "Why is he being replaced he was a great teacher."

"He died Caleb, three days ago." Pogue whispered.

"How?" He gasped.

"They don't know yet they just keep saying it was from unnatural causes. Krane didn't waste time though and hired a new professor, Dillings." Reid filled in.

Cory's brow furrowed slightly as he and the others headed out of the house. Louise looked at her friend a worried expression taking over her, "Cory what's wrong?" She asked softly.

"Nothing," He said giving her a weak smile, "Just thought of something but it's probably wrong." He said.

"Okay…"

"Listen I have to get going, I will see you all later." Cory said before he rushed away quickly thanks to his mark. Louise looked troubled as she stared at the place her friend had just been standing.

"Louise?" Caleb asked softly, "Something wrong?"

"It's just a feeling Caleb, you remember the one I was telling you about?" She asked and he nodded clenching his fists at his side as he chanced a nervous glance at the others laughing a few paces away.

"It is growing stronger almost like it has been solidified now. Caleb it is like this dark future I am seeing has somehow gotten to the point of nothing being able to stop it."

"Do you know what it is yet?" He asked softly.

She shook her head her blonde curls bouncing about, "No but something my mother said has me worried. I told her about this cloud I saw out the window in my dream it was this large skull with a snack slithering out of its mouth. Caleb my mom said it is the dark mark, His mark, Caleb my gut is telling me that whatever bad thing that is coming our way has something to do with the Dark Lord."

"So you guys in?" Alex asked bringing the two friends back into the conversation.

"What?" Caleb asked.

"My mom is hosting the summer solstice this year, you guys coming?" Reid asked.

"Why is she hosting it?" Caleb asked shooting Tyler a look, his family usually held it.

"Because Liz is here and our moms felt it would be better to have her here where she could rest and celebrate." Reid explained.

"I'm in." Louise giggled still looking worried.

"Me too."

"Great," Alex cackled, "I will owl Cory later and let him know."

A few states over in Holland, Michigan Cory arrived home a panicked expression on his youthful face. "It can't be." He sobbed looking ill.

"Cory?" His sister called softly when she saw her brother enter through the front room. "You alright?" She asked.

"Amanda why does the name Dillings sound so familiar?" he asked.

A pensive look came over her ivory face as she twirled a strand of her ebony hair. "Dillings, Dillings…oh wait I know he was an auror back in the day. He was let go though after several suspicious incidents started cropping up."

"Like what?" He asked grimacing at the thought.

"Well a lot of people that shouldn't have ended up dead did, and then there was the whole people thought he was a dark wizard and all that junk."

"Really?" Cory asked and his sister nodded.

"Yeah back in the UK they strongly suspected he was in league with You Know Who." His sister whispered her eyes darting nervously about as if she felt the walls were going to jump out and kill her for even thinking about the dark wizard.

"Then how have I heard of him?" Cory mumbled.

"Mum silly, they are fourth cousins it was a huge deal. She is really nervous about him being here in the States now she is afraid he is going to try and stir up trouble. She is crazy if you ask me, this is America we don't have wars here."

"Amanda, he is my new Defense against the Dark Arts professor." Cory whispered.

His sister froze worry flashing across her face briefly before her social mask pulled firm over her emotions; Cory knew then that something was wrong. "Nothing to worry about Cory I am sure that all that stuff in Europe was just a bunch of old fools being superstitious."

***

Evelyn Danvers sat in her sitting room sipping yet another glass of scotch welcoming the familiar warm burn as it trickled down her throat creating a sweet warmth in her belly. Pictures surrounded her pictures were all she had left. Her James was dead for a few years now, her son's friends many of them were long dead as well having died too young. Her dark brown eyes flickered to the first of the friends to go he was too young, just thirteen.

"What is taking him so long?" Sarah huffed from across the room, "When is he coming back?"

Evelyn didn't meet the girl's gaze hate and sadness rising in her. "He isn't coming back child."

Sara froze in her seat, "What?" She gasped, "How can you say that?"

"Because I know my son, he might have forgotten his priorities there for awhile but he has them set now. It is too late but there they are." She grunted taking a larger sip of her drink hoping to numb herself faster. "Once they go, he will follow he can't be separated from them."

"Who?" Sarah asked her eyes betraying her fear.

"His friends, his family, what happens to one if felt by all what happens to one happens to all."

***

June went by quicker than the group had anticipated even Liz who was stuck inside all day felt the month fly by. The summer solstice was starting that night and people were scurrying around the Garwin manner as if a dragon were after them getting ready for the party. Liz offered to help and Anna reluctantly let her only letting Liz cook the food as long as she promised to go and lay down if she started to feel off.

"My, oh my, what is that delicious smell?" Reid asked jogging into the kitchen his girlfriend trailing after him.

"Food." Liz giggled as Reid's eleven year old sister snickered beside her.

"What kind, it smells great?" He asked.

"Cajun shrimp scampi, lime chicken with black bean sauce, crawfish, pork boudin, quail with spice ala Liz, and the rest you can probably figure out."

"She even made hamburgers for us." Reid's sister giggled.

"Lizzie you are too good for us." Reid groaned.

"Mom said this is going to be the best food ever, the crawfish taste awesome Reid."

Reid's girlfriend gave Liz a small smile having spent more time with her since she was living with Reid. "How do you eat them?" She asked bashfully.

"It is icky but worth it." Liz said pulling two out of the pot handing one to the girl. "Bite off the tip of the head like this," Liz demonstrated, "Squeeze and suck and there you go." Liz said humming at the great taste. Reid's girlfriend did as instructed and moaned at the taste.

"Wow that is good."

"I can't wait to see Louise eat this." Reid laughed.

"She won't." Liz hummed.

"How do you know?" Reid's sister asked.

"Because Louise is allergic to shellfish." Liz snickered.

"Oh." The Garwin siblings grunted.

"Well Liz do you need any help?" Reid's girlfriend asked and Liz shook her head smiling.

"No thanks go have fun and stay away from Ryan he is a nervous wreck." Liz giggled.

"Thanks for the warning." Reid sighed.

A few states over in Michigan Cory was slipping on his dress robes for the solstice party that would begin at ten that night at the Garwin home. A noise outside his window made him jump as he dropped his comb onto the floor with a clang.

"Get over it Cory there is nothing there." He muttered picking up the fallen comb as he went to his mirror.

"Part it to the left dear." The mirror instructed.

"Thank you." Cory said moving to do what the mirror said.

A creek of the wood floor in the other room gave him pause again. This time he knew he was not imagining things there was someone there and he knew it wasn't a family member they would have announced themselves already. "Hello, who is there?" Cory called not really wanting to know the answer to that.

"Hello there." An English voice greeted Cory along with a now familiar face.

"You," Cory breathed.

"Yes I thought you would recognize me which is why unfortunately I must do this."

"Do what?" Cory asked backing away slowly as the large blonde man advanced into his room.

"Avada Kedavra!" the man yelled as a jet of green light raced towards Cory striking the teen in the chest as he let out a scream of pain and terror. The boy fell to the floor like a sack of potatoes his face contorted in pain. "Sorry boy, it had to be done. My master willed it." The man whispered before he left the house.

In Ipswich the group froze Liz jerked away from the stove her face loosing all color. "Liz?" Reid's sister called.

Liz let out a pained scream as she fell to the floor clutching her arm to her chest as she curled into a ball scream after scream ripping from her throat. Outside Reid dropped the lights much to his mother's anger which quickly turned to fear as she watched her oldest son fall to the ground screaming in pain, Liz's screams echoing from in the house.

"Cory!" Reid roared as Anna rushed to her son her husband rushing inside to Liz.

"Reid, Reid what is it?" His mother begged as she pulled out her wand.

"Cory," He groaned before he ceased all movement his eyes rolling into the back of his skull.


	14. The Dark Summer IV

Part 13: The Dark Summer IV

They would always remember that summer and the solstice; it was the first time evil truly touched them. Pain radiated through their bodies for weeks as their connection adjusted to the death of one of their own. It was as if there was a void inside them where something should have been but only pain remained.

Professor's Prince and Plank were called back from holiday with many other staff members of Salem at the news of young Cory's death. Headmaster Krane dispatched the two professors to the Danvers home in Ipswich where they could question the students connected to Cory through a blood ritual in secret. Something was wrong they could feel it; they knew that the unfortunate student knew something and had died because of it and the professors were crazed to figure it out.

"What do you remember?" Heidi asked Liz as the two sat in the red sitting room.

Liz rubbed her wrist as a pained look gripped her, "I could hear him screaming." Liz admitted reluctantly.

Heidi seemed to sense the girl's reluctance to share, "Miss Parker the ministry already knows of your covenant if that is what you are worried about. Please I need to know any and all information that you have."

Fear flashed in her dark eyes momentarily as she bit her bottom lip. "Before I passed out as I was falling I saw a flash of green light and I felt as if I had been kicked in the chest and I could have sworn I hear d something…"

Heidi made sure her features were neutral hiding the raging fear building in her chest. "What did you hear Liz?" She asked almost afraid of the answer.

"I heard a man's voice and I could have sworn he said something like 'Aveno Kavada' or something like that," Liz said.

Heidi gripped the plush red armrest tightly in her fist as she tried to control her breathing. "Liz was it Avada Kadavra?" She asked.

Liz nodded slowly, "Yeah that's it, why what is it and is it important?"

"Very," She whispered clearly unsure if she should tell the girl what the spell was or not. "Liz what you heard is called the killing curse one of the three unforgivable curses that will land you a life sentence in Azkaban."

"Like my mother." Liz whispered and Heidi nodded as Liz's breath hitched in her throat. "A killing curse, so you mean I heard one of my best friend's die?" Liz closed her brown doe eyes to prevent the tears pooling in her eyes from falling.

"Yes the green light you saw is a product of the curse it is a green jet that strikes the person in the chest and kills them instantly."

"Was he in pain, wait stupid question of course he was in pain I felt it, I still feel it." Liz whimpered rubbing her wrist before she pressed it to her chest.

"A rather nasty side effect of the binding."

"Are we always going to feel this pain?" Liz asked.

Heidi shook her head giving her pupil a weak smile, "No it will fade but since such a powerful spell was used you are felling longer lasting side effects. Something traumatic happened and your connection is hanging onto it as a reminder of sorts since part of the spell and effects of the spell are all you have left of Cory." Heidi could sense that Liz was done and could take no more questioning so she quietly excused herself to go meet her colleague in the library.

She walked into the quiet room and saw Plank leaning over in his chair his head in his hands an oddly defeated gesture so unusual for the cross man. "They felt is and saw their friend die." He whispered when he sensed her standing there. "They will forever have that void now; no one should feel that least of all a bunch of children."

"They all seem to agree on what they saw but Liz heard something besides senseless screaming something that explains the green light they saw."

Plank looked up at her finally with pained eyes, "please tell me she didn't hear what I think she did."

"She heard the spell, the killing curse. They are lucky that the connection they share only lets them feel physical ghosts of side effects, if the connection was stronger I fear…"

Plank nodded grimly, "they would be dead."

"Did any of the boys give you any hints as to who could have done this?" She asked and he shook his head miserably.

"No, but I have a feeling Danvers knows more than he is letting on. He seemed frightened of something."

"I got the same from Louise, there was something in her eyes, she looked almost haunted as if Cory's death was somehow her fault/

Liz left the sitting room when she felt under control and she slowly made her way up the stairs up to Caleb's room where the others were. She opened the heavy door slowly letting light spill into the darkened room, her friends just sitting around staring lifelessly ahead.

"Someone used the killing curse on Cory." Liz whispered the sound seeming deafening in the still room.

"We had our suspicions," Pogue croaked moving over on the couch so she could sit between him and Tyler.

"This is my entire fault," Louise rasped out against Alex's shoulder.

"You didn't kill him therefore it is not your fault." Alex sighed.

"Not but it is. Before school left out I had a dream and it warned of danger coming and that one of us was in danger, I should have warned you all maybe then Cory would have been on the lookout and he would be here right now."

Caleb shook his head at her, "Louise there was no way to know. I heard what you saw it was too vague there was no way to know who was in danger and from what."

"You knew she had a vision?" Reid grumbled.

"Yes but it wouldn't have helped it was unclear."

"Besides even if Cory did know there was no way he stood a chance against the person who came after him. You have to be powerful in order to use a spell like the killing curse there would be no way Cory or any of us for that matter would be able to fight someone like that."

"Who would want to hurt Cory though?" Alex asked, "He wasn't involved in anything dangerous and neither was his family."

"There had to be a reason Alex there is always a reason. Maybe he saw or knew something he wasn't supposed to." Tyler whispered, "There is always a reason."

"Our professors will figure it out they have to." Jasmine huffed, "And when they do I say we kill them, you know eye for an eye life for a life."

"Sounds great in theory but how are wez gonna be able to kill someone who is strong enough and has a strong enough intent to use an unforgiveable?" Pogue asked.

"No one ever said it had to be right away." Liz pointed out, "All we have to do is wait for the right time."

Two days later the Witch Daily reported that the ministry had officially begun an investigation into Cory's suspicious death, a little late if you asked the students and staff of Salem who were now worried. The death of two students in so many years from the same curse was enough to keep them on edge. Headmaster Krane was furious that he had let tow of his students be murdered even if one of them was not at his school.

Krane looked deep into the red embers of the fire in his hearth, only his most trusted in the room. "We are on our own in this," He whispered his voice barely audible over the crackle of the fire but the other three had heard him.

"What about Dumbledore he would…" Krane cut Tinka off with a sour look.

"Keep information from us and use us for his gain. The old man has his own agenda and he cares nothing for the safety of our students, all he can see is a way to trap Voldemort."

"He is obsessive to a fault I fear it will be the capture of Grindwald all over again. My mum told me all about what he was like back then how he would use any means necessary to capture his childhood friend." Heidi grumbled pouting in her chair.

"This time will be no different. I had Evelyn Danvers check the wards Dumbledore and his colleagues set up around Salem." Krane admitted softly.

"Was something wrong with them as we suspected?" Plank asked and Krane nodded stiffly.

"She found that the new wards offered no new protection at all they all set up wards that would alert them to the Dark Lord's presence should he show up again. They also set up a spell detector of sorts tracking all the spells used on the property."

Heidi Prince let out a sad laugh," He is trying to see how much 'dark' magic is used the old fool. He never could see past his narrow minded beliefs."

"Evelyn Danvers and Nick Carrow removed their wards and added some to the school. I should have just gone to them in the first place. I know better than to ask for his help." Krane grumbled.

"I take it we are blocking them out from here on out." Plank said and Krane nodded.

"We are Salem staff, we stick together and we solve our own problems. We don't need Dumbledore and his incompetent staff messing us up."

***

Maria sat facing Mr. Parker at the counter the lines around his face more drawn in his vigilance. "What do you mean they went off to war?" Kyle asked stepping up behind Maria clasping her hand tightly in his own.

"There is so much to tell you, Liz…" Jeff sucked in a shaky breath as his eyes flickered to the clock. "Liz made me swear I would tell you the truth if something happened to them, she didn't want her best friends thinking she just up and disappeared on them."

"Come on her Mr. Parker you are scaring us." Kyle grumbled as the aliens shifted nervously in their booth.

"My daughter and Alex are not exactly human…" Jeff whispered letting out a sigh when he heard the aliens gasp in shock. He knew what they were any good wizard would have figured it out but he was still struck stupid that they didn't see the potential power right in front of them in their friends Liz and Alex.

"My daughter's biological mother…"

"Bellatrix," Maria whispered and Jeff nodded.

"Bellatrix Lestrange was not a kind woman by any means she was crazed and obsessive with her causes at the expense of those around her, unfortunately Liz is now paying for that."

"If Liz isn't human what is she?" Kyle asked silently praying that he wasn't going to say alien he didn't know if he could take another one of us friends being an alien.

"Liz and Alex are wizards, or a witch and wizard to be precise. Alex like my daughter has had to deal with a parent that was obsessive about his causes, his father was Liz's mother's cousin if that makes any sense. Only later did we find out that his father Sirius Black was actually innocent and by then it was too late he had missed almost all of his son's childhood."

"Wait a minute magic isn't real." Michael grunted.

"Says the alien." Jeff said raising an eyebrow at the teen watching as the four in the booth stiffened shooting him a dangerous look. His eyes flickered to Tess watching as her nose started to scrunch. "Don't even try to mess with my mind kid my ex was far more skilled at it then you are, you have no effect on me. Don't waste the energy."

"How did you know that she was doing that?" Isabel asked fearfully.

"Like I said my ex was skilled at messing with people's minds something that my darling daughter seems to have taken from her or her snake of an uncle I haven't decided which one it is yet. I have known you were aliens since I first met you as children it is easy for my kind to pick up on I can sense energy and magical traces."

"So you knew all along." Max whispered and Jeff nodded.

"My mother knew as well she always thought it was funny. See your cores are very similar to those of magical cores which is why I always assumed that you all were just advanced humans since that is what witches and wizards are on this planet we are merely an evolutionary blip."

"Not that this all isn't fascinating but back to that war thing that my friends are in." Maria hissed.

"Like I said before Liz's mother was obsessive about her causes and the cause that got her thrown in a special prison was her Death Eater cause, she was a member of the inner circle of one of the most loathed and feared men in our world; the Dark Lord. They were what our kind call blood purists all magic blood was what they strived for."

"What?" Kyle asked summing up the rest of the café's sentiments exactly.

"Purebloods are people who come from all magic families like Liz and Alex who have two magical parents and come from long lines of magical heritage. There are some magical people who are born to non magic parents and they are called muggle born or there are those born to half families of half magic half muggle. The Dark Lord and his Death Eater followers were against half breeds and muggle born magical beings participating in their world, they often felt that they did not understand our world and I can honestly say that in some cases I agree with them, but never enough to join like my darling Bellatrix." Jeff grumbled.

"Not sensing a lot of love for the ex Mr. Parker." Kyle said.

"That obvious?" Jeff grumbled. "She was a nightmare honestly and that was half her appeal. Liz unfortunately inherited a lot of her mother's less desirable personality traits the Black family traits. She is deeply passionate, fiercely loyal, and willing to bind herself to someone who doesn't deserve her loyalty."

"Who did she bind herself to?" Max asked softly.

"Her and her friends were foolish when they were younger and bound themselves together by blood for eternity. Other than that she bonded herself to Caleb Danvers someone I wish she had never met." Jeff spat.

***

Liz stood at the front entrance of the Garwin home with her bags at her feet ready to go home. Doctor Simms had given her the okay that her core and mind were stable enough to tolerate being at home with her parents again and Liz was actually looking forward to getting home to her bed and seeing Maria.

Reid was going to come with her as well as Caleb the two of them still unsure about her return home. Caleb didn't want her to be physically so far away from him while Reid wanted the only sane person in his home to stay with him; his siblings seemed to feel the same as they practically ganged up on her begging Liz to stay with them. Reid had even gone as far as to beg his parents to adopt Liz citing that they already had so many children one more wouldn't hurt.

"Do you really have to go?" Emily Reid's eleven year old sister asked hugging Liz's middle tightly. "I really loved having you here; you kept Reid out of my hair."

"No that was his girlfriend." Liz snickered.

"Well she wasn't around here as much with you around and for that I thank you. There is nothing worse than seeing your brother with his mouth attached to something so unnaturally."

Reid turned to glare at his sister but she just shot him a silly grin. "Scram squirt." He grunted.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah I am going. Come back to visit at least Liz I am going to miss you until school starts."

Liz nodded giving her a small smile. "I promise I will."

The others pulled Liz away from the boys for a moment giving Reid his chance. "So you finally going to do it?" Reid asked grinning weakly at his friend it seemed as though none of them could form a full smile anymore.

"Do what?" Caleb asked staring after Liz.

"Ask her out now that you are a free man."

"How did you…"

Reid chuckled at his friend's floundering look. "My girlfriend is your ex's best friend she told me that you two broke up right before the solstice. What I and well pretty much everyone else want to know is when you are going to ask Liz out."

"She is with Tyler." Caleb sighed.

"No she isn't the two of them were just messing around a bit, Tyler has a thing for Louise."

"He was using Liz?" Caleb growled and Reid shook his head.

"No he was trying to make you realize how bad you have it for Liz and apparently it worked since you dropped the other girl when you saw him pawing all over Liz." Reid pointed out.

"Alright that kinda bugged me, but I don't think she likes me the way I like her." Caleb sighed.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that. Just talk to her and see what she has to say I think her response to you might surprise you." Reid laughed.

"All right I will talk to her later today, happy?"

"Delighted."

"Alright let's go before Emily and Abby can tie me up." Liz said grabbing one of her bags while Caleb and Reid each grabbed one. "I swear I don't know how I ended up with all of these bags." Liz muttered, "I only had one to start off with."

Reid snickered and Caleb pressed his lips tightly trying not to laugh. "Pogue's mom might have gone out and bought you a few things while you were sleeping. She always wanted a little girl and you have her a perfect excuse to spoil someone." Reid laughed.

"Your being asleep helped a lot." Caleb agreed.

"Alright let's get me back to Roswell. Maria already is planning on griping at me for hours because I wasn't there for her when I said I was going to be home."

The familiar pull they felt from their marks signaled their departure and when Liz gained her bearings she realized she was in the alley behind the café. "Convenient," She muttered.

"Let's go Black these bags weigh a hippogriff." Reid groaned. Liz rolled her eyes but opened the back door and tromped up the stairs to the apartment where she fished out her key heading inside. The delicious scent of apples and honey meeting her, she was home.

"Mom, dad I am home!" Liz called motioning for Reid and Caleb to set her bags down.

Nancy rushed out of her bedroom when she heard her daughter happy tears coming to her eyes. "Oh Lizzie," She breathed before pulling the girl into a tight hug. "I missed you so much." Nancy sighed.

"Missed you too." Liz said giving her a small smile. Taking a deep breath Liz steeled herself for her next question, "How is the baby? Everything going fine?" Liz asked trying to make an effort and Nancy seemed to suggest that.

"As well as can be expected I am a bit up in my years." Nancy sighed.

"No you're not. My mom is around your age and still popping them out. The woman is a machine." Reid grumbled.

Nancy shot her daughter a confused look, "Reid's mom is pregnant again. He is looking to pawn this one off on another family he already offered it up to Caleb's mom, Pogue's mom, and even Tyler's mom. He even begged me to take it away."

"Yeah well mom says it is another girl." Reid huffed rolling his blue eyes, "I was hoping for a boy, I only have two brothers." He muttered.

"Another boy would have been nice." Caleb agreed grinning at his friend. "Mom thought it was funny that you cried when you learned it was another girl."

"You are not surrounded by women all the time Danvers. My father, brothers and I are at our wits end. I mean everywhere we look there are ribbons and dolls and issues of Witch Weekly and Spells for the Enchantress all over. For once I would like to see miniature wizard sets playing out a battle or a small Quiditch set but no the girls all have to take over."

"Well Liz we have to get going my mom wants me to go with her to Salem to test out the new wards she and Mr. Carrow put up. They have tested them against adults but not against us students especially one with our bond so they want to see how the school is going to react." Caleb said as Reid pulled Liz into a hug.

"I am going to miss having you right in the room next door Lizzie." Reid sighed.

"Same here." She giggled.

Caleb pulled her into a hug next and leaned close to her ear where her mother couldn't hear. "I will stop by later tonight, leave your window open for me."

Liz's cheeks tinged red slightly but she nodded anyway. Her reaction startled Caleb it was as if she were excited and embarrassed at the same time. He looked to Reid and saw him grinning at them.

"We'll see ya." Caleb said before the two disappeared from the Parker apartment.

Nancy looked at her daughter a small smile tugging on her lips. "So Caleb is planning on sneaking into your room tonight?"

Liz flushed bright red, "Well be careful and make sure the two of you keep your voices down we wouldn't want your father to know he was in your room so late at night he might get the wrong idea." Nancy said winking at her daughter before she went into the kitchen.

"Maria is downstairs in the café with Kyle and Alex if you want go and see them baby girl." Nancy laughed as Liz's eyes brightened slightly.

"Thanks." Liz called before she dashed down the stairs.

Liz stopped when she saw her friends in a booth in the back sipping shakes laughing together. Alex's eyes held a distinct sadness she was all too familiar with, an almost haunted look about him. "Liz!" Maria squealed as she pushed Kyle over as she bolted out of the booth and at her friend.

"It is so good to see you, how are you feeling? I am so sorry about your friend. Alex has taken it pretty hard." Maria whispered hugging her friend tightly.

"I am doing better but it still hurts knowing I am never going to see Corry again. He was a good friend you would have liked him a lot Maria, he is…was a lot like Alex." Liz sighed.

Maria seemed to sense how hard this was for her as she pulled her towards the booth. "I know just the thing to help you my darling Lizzie, one blood of alien smoothie with extra blood." Maria said going over to the counter to place the order with Becky one of the cool waitresses.

"Sounds great," Liz agreed.

"Hey Liz," Alex greeted softly as Kyle slung his arm around her shoulders giving her a half hug before he went back to his shake. "Surprised Caleb, Reid, Tyler and Pogue let you out of their sight."

"They have just been extra cautious after what happened." Liz whispered. To Kyle is sounded as if they were speaking of Corry's death but Alex knew that she meant her magical melt down. "Tyler and Pogue of course felt better after Doctor Garwin said I was dealing much better."

"You all took his death hard huh?" Kyle asked, "Sorry you lost him."

"Louise is taking it the worst but thanks. She is very sensitive and close to Corry, his death was sudden and she is taking it hard."

The three sulked for a bit until Maria came back with Liz's shake. "Alright happier subject guys, Liz and Alex need a break from emotional stress." Maria scolded.

"So Liz, Alex here tells me he walked in on you and some boy going at it this summer." Maria laughed as Liz choked on her shake.

"Alex!" Liz screeched her hands flying to her face to cover her embarrassment. "It was bad enough having Reid listening in on us and then all of you walking in. You just had to tell them!"

"So it's true?" Kyle asked laughing into his shake.

"Yes alright Tyler and I were caught kissing and only kissing."

"In her bedroom." Alex snickered, "I thought Caleb and Pogue were going to blow up when they saw you, Tyler's hands were straying a little too much for their comfort."

"Oh what was it like?" Maria asked eagerly bouncing in her seat licking her lips in anticipation.

Liz blushed a deep red ducking her head away, "It was nice, and he is a very good kisser."

"Not surprising." Alex grumbled, "Those four seem to be good at like everything."

"I don't know about the other three but Tyler defiantly does not need help in the kissing department. He was soft yet firm and oh he had this slightly sweet taste about him."

"Sweet how?" Maria asked ignoring Kyle and Alex's disgusted looks.

"Sweet like fruit you know how when you bite into a melon the taste just tickles your lips well that was what it was like." Liz said blushing furiously.

"Wow." Maria breathed.

"Enough please I am begging you I do not want to barf up my shake." Kyle begged Alex nodded in agreement.

"Trust me it was worse seeing it in person. Caleb still glares at Tyler whenever he can though." Alex added smirking at Liz.

"Why?" Kyle asked.

"Because he was jealous." Alex snickered.

"He was not." Liz said not meeting his gaze.

"He so was Liz, you should have seen him it was not brotherly protective instincts kicking in it was more of a get the hell off my girl kind of thing."

"We were only doing it to make Louise jealous." Liz mumbled.

"It made more than Louise jealous, Caleb was livid."

"I want to meet this Caleb guy that you two keep talking about he sounds dark and dangerous." Maria hummed.

"More like dark and brooding, Reid and I timed him once he sat brooding for a whole two hours." Alex laughed.

"Shut up he as asleep Alex!" Liz hissed.

"His eyes were open."

"Well he was to sleep with his eyes open with the likes of Reid and Serena running around those two get into more trouble than anyone else on the planet."

"I have it on good authority that you are right there with them half the time getting into trouble." Alex laughed softly.

"Hey I never get into trouble." Liz huffed.

"Yeah and Serena is itching to find out how you do that?" Alex pointed out.

A sad smile tightened the corners of her mouth, "My dad said that it was a Black family trait we always get into the thick of it but never faced the consequences."

The four friends continued to catch up until Maria, Alex, and Kyle were called home and Liz had to go upstairs for dinner. Dinner was a strained affair as Jeff Parker welcomed his daughter home trying to talk to her and get her to open up. All Liz seemed interested in doing was eating and speaking with Nancy freezing him out. She might have gotten over her left behind syndrome but she still had a hard time dealing with her dad.

"Dinner was great mom, but I am kind of tired so I am going to turn in early." Liz said taking her plate to the think.

"Alright sweetie, goodnight." Nancy said a small smile playing on her pale lips.

Liz went into her room and closed the door softly sighing at the sweet silence of her room. "Rough day Black?" Caleb's deep rumbling voice shook her out of her stupor as a grin came over her.

"You could say that. My dad mentioned at dinner that I was going to visit my mother tomorrow and apparently Alex is going with his mother to visit his dad for like the first time ever. I know Alex has to be freaking out, he might not say it out loud but I know he wants to meet his father."

"It will be rough you know that. The three of us know how hard it is seeing our parents behind bars the happiness sucked out of them to the point where they look like living skeletons or vampires." Caleb said as Liz moved to sit next to him on her small twin bed.

"My mom's voice was what scared me when I was little; it was so raspy and tortured as if she spent all of her time screaming. I didn't realize until later of course that she really did spend all of her days screaming being haunted by the ghosts of the past. Such a terrible way to live," Liz whispered.

Liz could sense how tense Caleb was how tense he had been since she entered her room it was as if he were coiled to spring at any moment waiting for something. She grabbed his large hand in her small one holding it tight in her lap as she drew patterns on his warm palm. "What's on your mind?" She asked softly.

"I guess you could say I have a lot on my mind. Lately I have been seeing things differently realizing things I never did before."

"Like what?" She asked.

"Like how insanely jealous I was of Tyler." Caleb said not meeting her gaze.

"Why are you jealous of him?" Liz asked trying to get him to look at her but he wouldn't meet her gaze.

"Because he was the one kissing you in your room when I wanted it to be me," He admitted softly finally turning his deep brown eyes on her. Her mouth hung open slightly as she gapped at him.

"What do you mean Caleb?" She asked trying to work through the cotton that had become her mind.

He gave her a small smile, "I like you Liz a lot and when I saw Tyler kissing you when I see Tyler fooling around with you I get insanely jealous because I want to be the one kissing you I want to be the one making you smile like that not my best friend."

Liz squeezed his hand in hers a small smile coming over her. "Are you trying to tell me that you have the hots for me Danvers?" Liz asked.

"In a manner of speaking yes."

Liz grinned at him, "About time I have only had a thing for you since I first saw you." Liz laughed softly.

Caleb gapped at her clearly not expecting her to have said that. "You like me? You have liked me for awhile?"

"Duh, did you really think that Tyler and I were just fooling around so he could tease Louise, no it was to get you to snap out of it and start to notice me although I don't think Tyler knew that I was aware of that part of the deal he had struck with the others?"

"All of our friends were in on this?" He asked laughing softly.

"Hell yeah they were looking to get the two of us together for awhile now. All we have to do now is wait for Pogue and Serena to finally tell us that they are together."

"They are together?" Caleb asked his eyebrows shooting into his hairline.

"Have been since about midyear they swore me to secrecy though because they weren't sure where it was going and didn't want to make the rest of us feel weird. I can tell you though it was a nightmare seeing the two of them all over each other, if I could I would clean my brain of that image." Liz said with a slight shudder.

"How come you told me about it?" Caleb asked with a slight grin.

"Because Pogue told me I could the other day."

"So if you like me and I like you does that mean if I ask you out on a date you would say yes?" Caleb asked.

"Damn straight I would say yes." She laughed.

"Good, Liz will you go out with me on Friday, dinner and a walk through Ipswich?" He asked pouting at her begging her to say yes.

"As if I could say no to that face, pick me up at six and you got yourself a date Danvers."

Caleb stayed with Liz for a bit longer the two of them just talking and having a good time enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. When Caleb noticed her eyes starting to droop he gave her a quick peck on the cheek goodnight before he disappeared from her room.

Morning dawned too early for Liz who was used to sleeping in a dark all encompassing room at the Garwin home. Her mother knocked on her door early and told her to get ready that her and her father would be setting off for Azkaban soon. In no time at all Liz found herself on the gloomy island waiting to be led to the area her mother was being held. The witch kept shooting her odd looks as they passed screaming occupant after screaming occupant until they reached the maximum security area where the Black family was held. Liz passed the Lestrange brothers who crawled forward slightly at the sight of her, she passed a gapping Alex and went to the end of the corridor where her raving mother was located.

"Mum," Liz called softly kneeling down as she watched her mother's dark hooded eyes bolt open the crazed glassy look even more pronounced now.

"Such power by little one has." Bellatrix hissed as she crawled to her daughter her eyes focused on her left arm and wrist looking intently at the mark. Bellatrix looked down at her own arm liking the moving dark mark before Liz could move her mother liked her wrist as well. "Both bound to a cause a covenant."

Liz nodded at her mother, "Yes I am bound to a covenant." She could see her dad stiffen from the corner of her eye but she ignored it.

"I am bound to the Dark Lord." Bellatrix said.

"I am bound to my friend's mother. Danvers, Cornwall, Black, Kinkle, Parry, Garwin, Simms, and Estrana; we have already lost one of our own." Liz whispered but she could tell her mother had heard her.

"It is the way of a Covenant; those who are powerful are always the first to be targeted in a war. Remember that my Liz, the first are always the ones to be targeted. To be in a Covenant is to be bound to power."


	15. The Dark Summer V

Part 14: The Dark Summer V

Friday dawned early for Liz as she tossed and turned the night before anticipating her date with Caleb on Friday night. Liz flew out of her room and into the kitchen startling Nancy who was nursing a cup of tea. "You're up early." She hummed at her daughter.

"Too excited to sleep," Liz giggled.

"Oh that's right you have a date tonight, have you told your father yet?" Nancy asked watching as guilt flashed in her daughter's brown eyes. "Thought as much," Nancy laughed.

"I know he is not crazy about my friends so I really don't think he would approve of my going out with one of them." Liz said as she sat down at the kitchen table.

"He might surprise you Liz."

"When he surprises me it is never in a good way. Besides he is so set in his ways…"

"He is your father Liz you have to tell him." Nancy reminded her daughter who nodded looking miserable.

"Tell me what?" Jeff asked coming into the apartment smelling of the fry cooker in the café.

"Jeff you might want to sit down." Nancy said grinning at the doomed look on her husband's face.

"Oh know what's happened?" He asked clearly resigned to his fate.

"Your daughter has a date tonight." Nancy said trying not to smile as his face pulled tightly clearly trying not to yell.

"Please tell me it is not that Pogue boy or Reid anyone but them." Jeff mumbled as he let his head fall to his hands.

"No I am going out with Caleb tonight." Liz said trying not to get offended that her father didn't like Reid and Pogue.

"Danvers?" Jeff asked and Liz nodded.

"Well at least I can scare him." Jeff mumbled making Liz smile that was as good as a yes from her father.

"Aw he just lets you think that dad." Liz said before she bounced off to her room to shower. She had a day to kill and she only hoped that a shower would help her calm down.

"Do we have to let her go?" Jeff pouted turning to his wife.

"Yes, she is thirteen Jeff not a little girl anymore. Besides she really likes this boy and I have a feeling her is serious about her." Nancy said.

"Why couldn't she have dated someone her own age?" Jeff pouted.

"Jeff you forget you are four years older than I am." Nancy pointed out.

"Yes but I met you when I was in my twenties not thirteen."

"Jeff she is growing up you are going to have to start letting her go." Nancy said kissing the top of his head before she made her way back to her bedroom.

"My little girl isn't supposed to grow up." Jeff grumbled.

***

Maria started at the mention of Caleb Danvers the name stirred up so many memories from her childhood it hurt. He was Liz's first love, first kiss, and first everything. Caleb Danvers was the reason her friend cried at night and the reason Liz never trusted Max.

"She bound herself to him?" Maria asked color draining from her face. "Well that explains more than I wanted it to."

"Yes she was tied to him as well as Corry, Serena, Reid, and Louise." Jeff whispered watching carefully as Kyle and Maria made the connection.

"Mr. P all those people," Kyle choked looking ill, "They are all dead."

***

Liz slinked down to the café after her shower taking her usual place at the counter as the morning rush bustled around her. She needed something to do to keep her busy so she wouldn't over think that night. "So whatz this I hear bout youz and Danvers goin out tonight?" A familiar voice jarred Liz out of her doodling on an order pad.

Liz looked up and saw Serena sitting next to her at the counter a devilish grin on her pale face. "Caleb and Pogue are like a bunch of girls the way they gossip." Liz said not meeting her friend's gaze.

"Howz come I had ta hear about this from Pogue?" Serena asked pretending to be angry.

"Because I had to find out about you two through a closet," Liz laughed.

"Yeah sorry bout dat we hadn't really thought about locking da door." Serena said shrugging her shoulders sheepishly.

"So if Pogue knows I am assuming that Reid and Tyler know as well since the four of them are such chatty Cathy's."

"Yeah Reid was the one who called me anyways. He waz all up in my business telling me that youz were gonna be a wreck and boy waz he right. You freakin or somthin?"

"No I am just so excited and okay so I am a little nervous but I can't help it. I really want tonight to go well."

"It will az long az youz don't put all of this pressure on tonight. Just go and be your selfz and have fun. He iz in this for youz Liz." Serena said.

"Thanks, now what the hell are we going to do because I need you to keep me busy until tonight," Liz said as she fidgeted in her seat.

"Can do Black." Serena nodded saluting her friend. "So do youz have your outfit picked out for tonight?"

Liz's face fell as the color fled her olive cheeks. "No," She whispered looking fearfully at her best friend.

"Not ta fear Black for Serena iz here. Now there haz ta be a clothing store around here right?"

"Yes but why do we need to go and buy something?"

Serena looked scandalized as she stared at her friend. "Liz this is your first date everything needz ta be perfect and a new outfit iz essential."

"Let me go tell my dad that we are going out I will be right back." Liz said as she rushed away. The bell over the door rang and Maria whirled into the café in her usual hysteria. The first thought that flashed in Serena's mind was 'Louise' as she stared at the girl.

"Youz must be Maria Deluca." Serena said as the blonde girl screeched to a halt and turned a weary eye on her.

"Yes and you are?"

Serena smirked sticking out her hand, "Serena Cornwall Iz go ta school wit Liz and Alex." Serena said watching as the blonde's face lit up in recognition.

"Oh you're Serena!" Maria squealed as she shook the girl's hand bouncing in place like a hyperactive puppy. "They have told me so much about you it is great to finally meet you. How long are you here for?" Maria asked.

Serena knew that she had to make the human think she had used muggle transportation so she blurted out the first plausible answer that came to her. "Aw my friend Caleb and I flew down ta see Lizzie and Alex and wez will be here for two more dayz." Serena said as Liz blurred through the back door her small purse clutched in her hand.

"Oh hey Maria I see you have met Serena." Liz said linking arms with the blonde as Serena smirked at them in that annoying all knowing way.

"So what are you two up to and why does Liz look as if she is about to wet herself?" Maria asked making Serena laugh.

"Shez got a date with Danvers tonight and shez freaking. Maria wez have ta take Liz shopping for an outfit. Poor girl here thought dat she could go on her first date without getting a new outfit."

"Liz," Maria hissed looking horrified as Liz kept her eyes glued to the floor. "Good thing she has us looking out for her," Maria said and Serena nodded in agreement.

"Maria lead the way." Serena said as she hooked arms with the small brunette dragging her out of the café as they followed Maria who was babbling away about different styles Liz could try and what would look cute on Liz. Maria led them into a boutique off Main Street that had Serena squealing when she saw the storefront.

"Thought you would like it," Maria said as she grinned at the other girl.

"This does not look like me," Liz mumbled.

"Black it iz ya. Maria and Iz just gotta work you know mix and match and all dat jazz."

An hour later the girls were done and dragging Liz back to the CrashDown. "See Liz that wasn't so bad, with Serena there all you had to do was try outfits on." Maria laughed as she pushed her friend into a booth.

Serena picked up the menu and pulled a face glancing at Liz who was trying not to laugh. "Yo Black Iz might not be from this world and all but this iz weird what am Iz looking at?" Serena asked.

"My dad went a little crazy with the food names," Liz laughed as she took Serena's menu. "Okay so you hungry for a burger or what?"

"Cheese burger wit fries and a coke."

"Alright," Liz laughed getting up to place their order with the cook.

"So you keep calling Liz, Black, why?" Maria asked as Liz sat down.

Liz's eyes widened in panic but Serena kept her cool. "It's Liz's full last name, her mom's last name iz Black so that iz what wez all know her az." Serena laughed.

"Do you know Liz's mom?" Maria asked.

"Heard of her from my parents but I never met her. Liz's mom is legend with the old crowd."

"She cool?" Maria asked and Serena shook her head slightly but Liz saw and gave her friend a sad smile.

"Maria my mom is not very well liked she did a lot of questionable things in her youth and now that is all people see her for." Liz whispered her brown eyes staring sadly at the table.

Serena listened to the chatter on about unimportant topics as the fine hairs on the back of her arms started to tingle standing on end. It felt as if someone was watching her it was the same feeling she got when that teacher from Hogwarts was glaring at them. Serena turned slightly in the booth the way her older brother taught her so the action looked natural as she scanned the café. She saw a boy three booths behind them staring hard at them his gaze moving between her and Liz.

"Liz who iz dat guy wit the goody goody looks?" Serena asked watching as Liz's eyes flickered around the café along with Maria.

Maria grinned when she saw Max Evans staring at Liz again. "Liz, Max Evans is staring at you again." Maria giggled.

Serena stiffened as she felt the eyes on her again it was as if the amber eyed boy was unhappy with her presence. "Iz don't like him," Serena mumbled her eyes meeting Liz's. "Somethin feelz off wit him."

"My dad always says that." Liz laughed her eyes flickering back to Max watching as he quickly looked away. "My mom just said that it is a little boy thing that he will grow out of it." Serena nodded her head but Liz could tell her friend wasn't convinced.

Nancy Parker bustled around her kitchen as she listened to the girls giggle and laugh in Liz's room as they helped her get ready for her date. She could feel how happy her little girl was she practically radiated her feelings in the air. A knock on the door startled Nancy as she glanced at the clock grinning at the time.

Jeff came out of the family room a grim look on his face as Maria scurried out of Liz's room dying for a chance to see who was taking Liz out. Nancy opened the door and laughed at the nervous look on the handsome boy's face. "Hi Mrs. Parker," Caleb said his hands shoved in his pockets nervously not looking at Jeff who was glaring at him.

Maria gaped at the boy in front of her as Liz left her bedroom. "Hey Caleb," Liz laughed grinning at the way his face lit up when he saw her.

"Liz looking gorgeous as always," He said grabbing her hand. Jeff looked pained at the gesture turning away slightly.

"You two better go;" Nancy whispered softly, "Before Jeff changes his mind."

Right when the door closed Maria turned wide eyed to Serena who was trying not to laugh at her. "No wonder Liz was never interested in Max Evans she has her own Greek God." She squeaked as Serena laughed throwing her head back.

"Don't let him hear youz say dat it would go ta hiz head." Serena giggled. "Besides my guy iz way better, same dark look but he haz better hair."

Jeff turned to Serena looking ill, "If you say you are dating Pogue Parry I will cry." He grumbled.

Serena raised an eyebrow at Nancy who was giggling into her hand. "Jeff honey I think she is dating him."

"Well no one iz really supposed to know but Pogue iz like a girl and blabbed to his friends." Serena grumbled.

"Do your parents know you are seeing that boy?" Jeff asked.

Serena looked horrified at the thought, "No my brother and Iz have a perfect system in place. Az long az wez aren't in trouble wez don't tell mom and dad." Nancy shook her head at her husband; he just didn't understand teenage girls.

Across Roswell while Liz was out on her date with Caleb, Alex Whitman was holed up in his room staring through glazed eyes at a moving picture of his friends at Reid's home. Alex watched as Cory's smiling face turned to wave at him before Jasmine tackled him into the water. They all looked so happy so carefree never knowing the danger that was just around the corner.

Maddie Whitman watched her son as he sulked in his room. No matter what she did or what she tried her son would always end up back in his room alone rubbing his wrist and chest as if he were in pain. She could hear him from her room at night screaming about his friend. She tried to get him to talk about what had happened to Corry but each time she approached the subject he would shut down and quickly leave.

"What do you want mom?" Alex asked startling her.

"Sorry I didn't mean to disrupt you." Maddie sighed as she walked into her son's dark room.

"You didn't," He whispered never looking up from the picture.

"Alex honey what is it I can tell that something is wrong please honey you can tell me anything." She tried as she sat next to her son on the floor. His brown eyes slowly dragged up to look her in the eye the pain and fear in their dark depths had her gasping for breath.

"Mom something is really wrong I can feel it. Ever since Corry was killed I have just had this really bad feeling that someone is after us that none of us are safe." Alex whispered looking away from her and back at the picture in his hands.

"Alex I am sure that no one is after you," she tried but his sharp look stopped her cold.

"It is not normal for a thirteen year old boy who has never gotten into trouble to suddenly turn up dead." Alex snapped.

Maddie bit her lip not knowing how to approach this with her son she had a feeling that no matter what she said it was going to be received badly. "Alex you and your friends are marked, Corry was marked. Even if you all stay out of trouble those marks are beacons for trouble they are like targets painted on your backs telling people to attack you."

"So you're saying Corry was asking for it then? Tell me mom why was Corry chosen and not the rest of us?" Alex asked glaring sharply at his mother daring her to answer.

It very well could have been you or one of your friends, why do you think I am so scarred Alex? I know that you are now a target."

Alex huffed rolling his eyes, "I know what I felt that night mom and I know that whoever was after Corry was specifically after him." Alex said shaking his head at her letting out a disgusted snort, "You just don't understand."

Maddie could sense that her son was no longer going to talk to her as she slowly got up and left him alone in his room on the floor. Her son lived and breathed for his friends just like his father. His life and his choices were frighteningly too familiar for her and there was nothing she could do or say to sway her son from the destructive path he and his friends were on.

The rest of the summer flew by for the Salem students as the pain in their chests became a dull roar and they could see a picture of Corry without breaking down or going into a fit of rage. Liz and Nancy grew closer as Liz pushed Jeff farther away. Doctors had told Nancy she was expecting a little boy and the woman was over the moon.

Nancy Parker watched from the doorway of her daughter's room as she packed for school. Her plane was scheduled to leave in ten minutes. Jeff had decided the night before that he was going to take Liz to the train station since Maddie was taking Alex.

Liz and Alex seemed anxious to get to school and it pained Nancy to see Liz so eager to leave home. "You all packed sweetie?" Nancy asked as Liz flicked her hair over her shoulders to look at her the faint scent of strawberries tickling her sensitive nose.

"Now I am, I just have to wait for dad now." Li said as she closed her trunk.

"Liz," Nancy whispered as she ventured into the room. "I need you to be careful this year at school." Nancy said her blue eyes tearing up as she stared at the girl.

"I am always careful mom, what brought this on?" Liz asked sitting down next to Nancy on the bed.

"Your father thinks I don't understand but really I understand more than I let on." Nancy whispered giving her daughter a sad smile, "Someone bad is out there someone who is harming kids at your school and I fear that you and your friends are right in the thick of it. I need you to promise me that you and your friends will be careful this year, be on the lookout for anyone strange anyone new."

Liz nodded at her mother her dark eyebrows knitting together. "I promise."

Eight hours later Liz found herself on a train heading to Salem with her friends the promise she made to her mother ringing in her mind painfully. "So who do you think it is?" Jasmine asked startling Liz as she looked away from the window.

"Who?" Liz asked glancing at Caleb next to her who seemed just as lost as she was.

"The new professor taking Professor Lancaster's place the dude is supposedly a charms champion or something." Louise said rolling her eyes.

"Who is he?" Caleb asked, "My mom told me that they hadn't found anyone yet."

"Why hadn't they found someone?" Alex asked.

"Salem is strict when it comes to hiring staff," Reid snickered, "You have to be a master in the subject and have to have stellar recommendation."

"Dillings I think his name is." Tyler said.

"Never heard of him." Serena said and Caleb nodded.

Liz made a face as she stared at her friends, "I think I have had a major déjà vu or something."

"What do you mean?" Caleb asked looking at her with worried brown eyes.

"I feel like we have had this conversation before like we have talked about Dillings."

"Not possible Liz I just found out about the guy this morning." Jasmine said.

Pogue shook his head his eyebrows drawn together, "No Liz is right this feels familiar I could have sworn that Cory was there and he was upset about something."

Caleb suddenly stiffened, "You're right I think I remember something like that."

"By any chance is that memory fuzzy like someone shuffled things about?" Alex asked looking panicked, "Because that is what I am feeling right now."

"Someone used a memory charm on us!" Tyler yelled.

"Who?" Louise whispered.

"Someone who didn't want us to know something that was revealed in that conversation obviously." Reid grumbled.

"But who knew we had that conversation?" Jasmine asked and that was the question that puzzled them. Caleb grabbed Liz's hand tightly in his own as a strange pulling feeling settled in his stomach. They were missing something and he had a feeling that whatever it was could be the deciding factor in whether they lived or died.


	16. Dark Whispers

**Hey guys sorry about the long wait on updating I have been out of the country and unable to upate! Thanks for all of your reviews i love reading them! Please let me know what you think of this new part!**

Part 15: Dark Whispers

Liz found herself enjoying the comfortable routine of school after a month of getting a feel for her new classes. Besides her usual classes that all students had to take her schedule added Ancient Runes, Wards, Magical Healing, and Care of Magical Creatures. Her schedule was full but she enjoyed every minute of it and she loved having a class with all of her friends, Wards.

Caleb entered the common room spotting Liz at a table her healing book in front of her as she scratched out her answer on a scroll of parchment. "How is the essay coming?" He asked pulling up a chair next to her.

"Good, it sucks though that Bohem gave me fifteen inches." Liz grumbled.

"Yeah I heard he was a hard ass but you will learn a lot." Caleb laughed.

"How long are you here tonight?" Liz asked a pretty pout coming over her.

"All night, my mom told me that I should be staying at school instead of with her. I was getting run down by all the back and forth and it would be easier to do some of my work here." Caleb said watching as a large grin spread over Liz's face.

"Really?" She asked trying not to let her excitement show. Caleb nodded laughing when she squealed and threw herself into his arms peppering his face with kisses much to his delight. He captured her lips and pulled her into his lap ignoring the snickers from their housemates.

Liz pulled away her face flushed and her eyes glowing with happiness warming his chest as he held her close. "This is great now I only don't get to see you when you are attending high school." She laughed.

Caleb groaned at the mention of high school thinking about all the humans running around and all the girls that drooled over him none of them even coming close to Liz's beauty. "Don't remind me I hate Spencer. If I didn't have to go I would stay here the whole time." He grumbled envying a few of his classmates who lived far enough away from humans that they didn't have to attend muggle schools.

"Well on the bright side I have a class with you this year." She giggled.

"I know thank Merlin for an all levels class. Really I think they did that because Plank was the only professor that can teach wards and it was the only time he had free." Caleb said.

Liz did a quick tempus charm and groaned resting her head on Caleb's shoulder. "I have to get going I have my private lesson with Professor Prince in ten minutes." She grumbled.

Caleb frowned at her, "Again that is the third time this week don't you think she is going a little hard on you and Serena?" Caleb asked.

"Well not I mean we kinda got the feeling that she was training us for something." Liz giggled as she packed up her belongings.

"Like for battle or something?" He asked frowning at her as she headed for the exit trailing behind her dutifully.

"No we got the feeling that it was more than that, she has been going over dueling etiquette with us."

Caleb stopped suddenly as something clicked in his head as a wide grin spread across his face. "I know why she is training the two of you she wants to win." He chuckled.

Liz raised an eyebrow at him looking confused. "Win what exactly?"

"The international dueling competition that is taking place in Bulgaria over the winter holidays, it is very popular. I think she is planning on entering the two of you into a duel." He snickered as her curious face turned horrified.

"A competition like with spells and fighting and in front of people?"

"A lot of people." He nodded steering her towards Prince's office.

"Caleb I get stage fright," Liz whimpered her doe eyes darting around frantically. "I mean in fifth grade there was a town play and my mom forced me to be in it with Maria and I got a leading role because I am so good at memorizing lines and on opening night when I saw all the people I threw up and passed out on stage." Liz whined hysterically making Caleb laugh.

"Liz calm down we don't even know if that is what she is trying to do that was just a guess on my part." Caleb laughed as they arrived at the office.

"I guess you're right." She huffed.

"I am always right." Caleb laughed kissing her forehead. "Now go learn how to fight."

"I already know how to fight I could kick your ass." She grumbled as she went inside.

Caleb smirked at the closed door, "Of that I have no doubt Liz."

Across the school Tyler Simms was buried deep into a book his blue eyes flashing over the page eagerly as he read his heart pounding in his chest. The book Atrum Vox with its withered cover and oddly suspicious stains across the cover seemed to enchant the teen as he flipped a withered page.

"What are you looking at?" Jasmine asked as she plopped down beside him at the library table startling him. His blinked trying to focus on her after having read for so long.

"Oh a book I found while I was looking up information for my Dark Arts paper. This book talks about blood rituals, more specifically about blood rituals involving those in covenants." Tyler said his eyes shining in the darkness of the library.

"Like our covenant?" Jasmine asked.

"Exactly like our covenant, apparently the guy who wrote this book was involved in a covenant just like ours. He was bound to a brotherhood of friends, his book talks all about it Jasmine it is fascinating."

"What does it say about the blood magic?" She asked leaning over to look at the book written in Latin.

Tyler grinned as he flipped to the beginning of the book eagerly showing her a page with gruesome looking drawings littering its withered pages. "It talks about the magic that the bond opened up. Jasmine when we tied ourselves together we tied our magic together."

"Is that good?" She asked raising a honey colored eyebrow at his excitement.

"Jasmine we basically have a collective power source now, even when one of us dies our power remains in the collective until all of us die." Tyler whispered eagerly.

"So in a way even in death we are connected." She said and Tyler nodded flipping the page.

"Jasmine it also talks about something else something that I think everyone is going to love."

"What?"

Tyler's blue eyes danced as he pointed to one of the passages on the page, "We can perform a ritual that will allow us to use wandless magic. Jasmine we would never have to use a wand again." Tyler whispered.

***

Caleb tried to get to Bellatrix to pull her out of the angry redhead's way when it happened. "Now!" Bellatrix yelled and purple lights flickered around the room.

"My blood," Lucius Malfoy yelled as he slashed his hand.

"Your blood," Bellatrix yelled as she slashed her hand as well as other purple lights flickered throughout the great hall.

Caleb felt the Lestrange's grab his arm as a purple spell slashed across his palm opening a flowing red welt as crimson blood spilled out. "Our blood!" Rabastan growled.

"Blood of the Covenant unite." Narcissa yelled as a bright stunning light filled the great hall.

Everyone in the great hall blinked as the air rushed out of Caleb. His gasping breaths were the only sounds to fill the great hall of Hogwarts castle as emotions and connections sparked around him. The comfortable humming buzz surrounded him as the familiar hum in his mind warmed him.

"Looks like we arrived just in time Liz." The voice of Harry Potter caused gasps around the hall as the crowd parted to reveal a small group all looking worn and war bitten, all except one.

Caleb felt like crying as he spotted the small boy in the front of the group. "Cory," He whispered tears stinging his eyes as he took in the sight of his thirteen year old friend.

The familiar impish grin spread over Cory's face as he nodded at Caleb. Someone cleared their throat in the small group and Caleb's eyes were drawn to Pogue whose face was shockingly scar less. "I hate to break up this touching scene and all man but Potter has a Dark Lord to kill." Pogue laughed and the hall was brought back to the present all eyes turning to the Dark Lord once more.

***

Liz ducked a stray stunning spell as Heidi Prince blasted spell after spell at her and Serena. They were dueling two against one and the Salem students had the distinct impression that even if they were at their peak they would never be able to take on their dueling instructor.

"Terminate!" Heidi y well you remembered topped.

"You two did very well you remembered what I told you last lesson and stuck to it."

Liz noticed the strange gleam of pride in the woman's eyes and Caleb's comment before her lesson came back to her. It was as if Prince was training them for something. "Professor are you training us for the dueling competition?" She asked cringing internally at her bluntness, it was not like her.

Heidi grinned at her, "Liz you never cease to surprise me." Heidi hummed but she didn't deny that it was her plan to put the girls into the competition.

"So itz true?" Serena asked and Heidi nodded.

"I spoke with the headmaster and since the two of you are so far beyond the others in your year as well as several other years it was decided that the two of you should be taken out of your normal dueling class and placed in permanent private lessons with myself and Professor Plank. The two of you will be entering the dueling competition and your performance will dictate your dueling grade." Heidi said a sadistic grin on her face as she stared at Liz knowing that the motivation of getting a good grade would stir her on more than anything.

"Well Liz lookz like wez are gonna be in a duel." Serena huffed but she was grinning letting the professor know that she was on board.

"Tell us what we need to know." Liz sighed resigned to her fate.

"Perfect!" Heidi squealed shocking the two, "I can't wait for the two of you to kick international ass."


	17. Dark Whispers II

Part 16: Dark Whispers II

There was something unnerving in the way Professor Dillings stared at the Sons of Ipswich. As he passed over their names in roll call it was as if he were savoring the sweetest of treats the way their names rolled off his tongue. Caleb shifted in his seat as he felt the older man's eyes fall upon him studying him far too closely for his liking. He didn't like the feeling of being analyzed as if he were some precious science experiment.

Caleb let out a sigh of deep relief as the class ended the students eagerly packing up to leave the odd classroom decorated with odd gadgets. "Ah Misters Danvers, Parry, Garwin and Simms if you would please stay behind there is a matter that needs to be taken care of." Dillings called his slippery voice making them cringe. All they wanted to do was run the other way but he was their professor and they were obligated to stay.

The four boys shared an uneasy look as they approached their new professor who had a fake smile on his face. "Ah thank you for staying boys there is something I would like to discuss with you."

"No problem," Pogue hummed trying not to groan at the pathetic grin on the man's face. He looked so fake he could pass as that creep Lockhart's twin.

"Well I have been studying your records and your progress in class and I feel that these lessons are going to be too easy for the four of you that you belong on an advanced track while the rest of your classmates will be moving at a slower pace. I have talked it over with the headmaster and he has agreed that with the use of your time turners you will attend private lessons with me during class."

The four shared another look not knowing what to say especially Reid who knew that Charms was his weak subject. Something was not right but they couldn't very well reject their professor to his face especially if he had permission from the headmaster it sounded as if they were going to have to go through with these private lessons if they wanted them or not.

"We will be working on animating larger objects and charming them to perform acts for you." Dillings said as if it were the rarest and honored of gifts that he was giving them.

Caleb ever the diplomat of the group cleared his throat nodding at the professor. "Thank you professor we look forward to those lessons." He said his dark eyes guarded as he sensed Dillings stared that seemed too long and too deep to be innocent. "We have class now but thank you again." Caleb said gently pulling on Tyler's arm as they four backed out of the classroom.

"Oh right," Dillings said obviously disgruntled about having to let them go.

The four witches scrambled away from the charms hall racing down the corridors until they reached potions breathing deep sighs of relief. "Did anyone else feel that pressure in their heads?" Tyler asked as he rubbed his temple.

"Yes," Caleb sighed as he sat down at the back of the class not wanting to be under a professor's constant scrutiny that hour. "He was trying to use Oclumency on us but it was different than any of the other forms we have encountered."

"So we need to do the usual you know be on the lookout for psychos out to kill us all?" Reid asked wincing as Pogue nailed him in the shoulder.

"Be serious Reid this is big teachers aren't allowed to use mind reading on us." Tyler hissed.

Reid glowered at his friends, "Just trying to lighten the mood our lives could use a little more levity and a little less conspiracy theories."

Across the school Heidi Prince opened the package she had been waiting years for. It was in Romania when she first heard of its existence rumblings of the cover-up. She had brought the matter to her cousin Severus Snape two years ago when he adamantly denied its existence calling it the blathering of a mad man. She knew it was real though and she knew that her cousin was somehow connected to it all, the strange spark in his dark eyes let her know far more than any truth serum.

"The Order of Darakna," Heidi breathed fingering the leather bound cover before she slowly opened the book revealing parchment stained with green and red ink a multitude of different writing styles filling the pages.

"Chapter one: the alliance." Heidi read.

"We the people have come together in a time of desperation in a time of great need. Our masters see only what they want to and never the other side there is only light and dark. We are tired of dying for useless causes watching our friends and loved ones die by wand. We the Order of Darakna have come together to stop it all." Heidi read her cheeks flushed in excitement.

"It is our greatest wish that our children will not have to endure the fight we have." Heidi flipped the page and gasped when she read the names of the founders.

"This is impossible," She whispered as she read the names etched in blood.

Arthur Weasley

Remus Lupin

James Potter

Sirus Black

Bellatrix Black Lestrange

Rodolphus Lestrange

Rabastan Lestrange

Lucius Malfoy

Narcissa Black Malfoy

Regulus Black

Alastor Moody

Minerva McGonagall

Frank Longbottom

Alice Longbottom

Severus Snape

Milley Parkison

V. Crabbe

G. Goyal

Alice Bones

William Bones

Amilia Bones

Heidi read the bottom of the page her breath catching in her throat. "I solemnly swear to protect our world."

Heidi trailed a shaking finger of the name Bellatrix Black Lestrange her mind instantly turning to Liz and her friends. This book was proof, proof that in the last war it was not just light against dark but a third faction as well a faction of pure bloods from both sides that banded together to ensure the survival of the magical world so that Dumbledore and Voldemort wouldn't destroy them all.

Heidi went over to her cabinet and pulled out a silver chalice setting it on her desk as she went back and pulled a large container out pulling off the lid gagging at the repugnant smell that assaulted her nose. She tipped the container over the silver basin and thick red blood pooled in the bowl as she wrinkled her nose at the unpleasant smell and look. She resealed the container magically ensuring freshness before she blew out a huge breath shaking herself out.

"Okay I can do this I have done this before it is just pigs blood it is just pigs blood you can do this old girl just stick your hand in the icky blood and do it." She pumped herself up steeling herself as she dipped her hand in the basin swirling it about as a whispered Latin chant rolled off her tongue as she swirled the thick liquid about. Bubbles formed on the surface as the liquid heated up to 98.6 before she removed her hand.

"I need to see you; I have something to show you." She whispered into the bowl. "I know you are busy but when you are done get down here you need to see this it changes everything."

"I think there are several innocent people in Azkaban." She whispered before the liquid stopped bubbling.

"Ugh how dare he hang up on me!" She growled slamming her hands on her desk not caring that her right hand left a bloody smear on the wood. As Heidi stared at the book on her desk satisfaction calmed her, she had been right all along. Little did the dueling professor know but in the coming years the three factions would become four.

Later that night in the calm Salem school Caleb Danvers was stunned. He watched as Liz and Jasmine danced to a new song on Witch Wireless and he couldn't stop his mind from turning to less than innocent thoughts about his girlfriend. Caleb shook his head as images of Liz alone in a room with him dancing for him.

Pogue saw his friend jerk his head as he stared at Liz as a wicked grin spread over his face, he knew where his friend's mind was. "I bet she would do that for you if you asked her." Pogue laughed, cackling when Caleb punched him in the side his face flushing at the thought.

"Oh you know you were thinking it too man. Come on I can guarantee that Alex is silently begging Merlin to let Jasmine dance for him." Pogue laughed.

Caleb shot his friend a look before he glanced slyly at Alex who was gaping at Liz and Jasmine not hiding his fascination, not many males in the room were hiding their reactions to the girls unconsciously sultry dancing. "Alex and Jasmine really?" Caleb asked and Pogue nodded.

"Alex has been lusting after her all year but he is too chicken shit to say anything. She is going to have to be the one to make a move." Pogue grumbled.

Caleb groaned when he saw Liz pop her hips swinging her rear about, he didn't even know she could do that. "Where the hell did she learn to dance like that?" Caleb groaned watching as she held her friend's hips swinging together in a very un Liz like move.

"Maria Deluca taught her that." Alex grumbled, "They made Kyle and I their dance partners."

Caleb didn't like the sound of that; Liz danced like that with two other guys who were not him, one of them he didn't even know. Alex must have noticed the dark look on his face when he hurried to explain. "She was completely embarrassed the whole time and would only dance with me. She was still tired from her magical drain but she learned to dance like Maria."

"Maria does seem the type to teach Liz something like that." Caleb agreed.

"You have no idea," Alex whispered shuddering slightly.

"You think Liz would dance for me if I asked her to?" Caleb asked softly.

Reid reached over and smacked the back of his head his blue eyes glaring furiously at Caleb. "Don't even think about it Danvers."

"What I was just asking." Caleb said holding his hands up in surrender.

"Just don't," Reid growled pouting now as he watched the girls no longer having fun.

Caleb turned to a snickering Pogue, "What the hell was that about?" Caleb asked his best friend who was fruitlessly trying to hold in a laugh.

"Ever since Liz stayed at his house this summer he has grown very fond of her in a very sister like way. Right now he sees you as the guy trying to bang his sister."

"What Liz and I do is none of his business besides we aren't there yet in our relationship." Caleb huffed.

"How do you know you aren't there yet?" Pogue asked a sly smirk on his dark face. "Have you two sat down and had that talk yet?"

"There is a talk?" Caleb asked feeling the blood leave his face. He didn't think he would ever be comfortable talking about sex.

"If you can't talk about sex with Liz you are not ready for sex with Liz. You two really do need to sit down and hash out what you want."

"Have you and Serena?" Caleb asked feeling like a nosey neighbor as he asked his friend such a personal question.

"Yes we have talked about sex. Caleb my relationship with Serena is different than yours with Liz just like Reid's is different with his girlfriend. What is right for us might not be right for you which is why you need to sit down with Liz and hash it out. It is as uncomfortable as the sex talk with your parents. There will be a lot less second guessing in your relationship if you both know what you want."

As Caleb glanced back at Liz watching her head fall back as she laughed at something Serena had whispered to her he couldn't help but agree with his friend. He really did need to sit down with Liz if for nothing else than peace of mind.

***

Kyle stared at Jeff Parker not loving the dark haunted look that swept over him. The people that Liz was bound to were all dead some had been dead for years. He remembered clearly the summer when Cory was killed and how devastated Alex and Liz had been. The two of them were withdrawn and had looks of constant pain on their faces, many a times he caught them holding themselves as if they were trying to keep themselves together rubbing their wrists to fight an unknown pain.

"All of them are dead, yes." Jeff whispered. "All of them killed for the same cause that they were all dragged into."

"A fight that wasn't even supposed to be theirs." Nancy whispered as she rubbed her forehead the dark circles under her eyes seemed more pronounced to the teens as they watched her. "I thought that all of this was behind them when suddenly my baby girl comes home shaking and terrified…" Nancy said a distant look in her eyes.

"What do you mean?" Isabel asked afraid, something in the way Nancy and Jeff spoke hinted at a far more serious fight than she had originally imagined. She still couldn't quite grasp the fact that Alex was dead.

"The Dark Lord was supposed to be dead his followers were all supposed to be locked up and then starting the summer before Liz's third year of school it all went downhill. Their friend Cory was the first victim of the Dark Lord in the new war." Nancy whispered.

"Liz and Alex were never the same after that." Kyle agreed.

"For the first time evil truly touched them Kyle." Jeff whispered. "My daughter and her friends felt their friend die that was how connected they were. They felt the life being sucked from him in that instant and ever since then they have had to deal with the empty pain that his death brought them."

"All of their death's though were nothing compared…" Maria trailed off glaring angrily at the tacky tiled floor of the café.

"Nothing compared to what? I hate it when you people don't finish your sentences some of us are kinda left in the dark." Michael barked.

Maria looked up her green eyes glaring hatefully at her on again off again boyfriend. "The deaths of her friends was nothing compared to the death of her son." Maria whispered not looking up when she heard Max's gasp.

"Liz never…"

"She did." Maria snarled, "But you were too stuck up your own ass to notice."

"When?" Michael asked slowly fighting the sick feeling building in his stomach.

"Young." Jeff grumbled bitterly. "Too damn young, that little punk should have known better but no."

Nancy sighed as she watched her husband sulk; she would never tell her husband could never tell her husband that she understood why Liz did what she did. "Liz conceived when she was fourteen the father was sixteen."

"Isn't that considered rape or something?" Isabel asked.

"In the muggle world yes but in their world no. Especially not when the father is as wealthy as he is." Nancy said.

"How the hell did this happen?" Michael whispered his head in his hands. "How could Liz live this life that I never knew about, have this whole life changing event happen to her and I never even. I was such an ass to her before she left." He grumbled.

Nancy smiled softly at the boy hating that he was beating himself up. She knew that Liz never held anything he did against him she found his gruff personality to be soothingly like Pogue's. Nancy heard the click whir of the clock and froze in her seat as she watched the hand of her daughter start to move.

"Oh god." She gasped as it hovered over lost before it started to move again. "No."

***

As time sped on that year the group started to notice subtle changes. Tyler, Louise, and Jasmine appeared to be slowly deteriorating right before their eyes; the dark circles under their eyes growing more pronounced with each passing day. Louise would jump at the slightest sound and was constantly looking over her shoulder. The worst of it was that the entire group could sense her fear, the cold sweats they woke up in constants testaments to her nightmares.

Tyler and Jasmine on the other hand were off for an entirely different reason. It seemed as though whenever they saw the two they had their noses buried in a thick book. They would sit huddled in a corner of the common room whispering to each other as they pointed at something on the page.

Liz watched as Louise slumped over on the arm of a couch. Her brown doe eyes narrowed and her mouth set in a hard grim line. Caleb glanced worriedly at her as she seemed to steel herself for something. "Enough!" She shouted startling everyone in the common room, jarring Louise awake.

Liz marched over to Louise and grabbed her arm pulling the sluggish blonde up as she glared at Tyler and Jasmine. "Girls room now," she hissed and the group hurried to comply darting up the stairs. It was times like these when the students of Salem were glad that the school was so trusting of them.

Liz gently pushed Louise into their room and onto her bed as she glared at the others as they entered the room. "Okay now that we are all here we need to talk. Something is wrong and I am not just talking about the three breathing zombies." Liz said as her eyes flickered over to the three slumped witches all looking sheepish and tired.

Caleb sighed as his hand ran absently through his hair. "You're right we do have a lot to talk about. Who wants to go first and share their troubles?" Caleb asked rolling his eyes at how pathetic it all sounded.

Alex shifted forward on Liz's bed clearing his throat. "I overheard the professors two weeks ago; they think someone on the staff is working against them. On what I have no idea but it seems Professors Prince, Plank and Tinka are worried. Also Prince mentioned something about needing to show the other two professors something that could change everything. It leads me to believe they are all hiding something from us." Alex said expelling a deep breath as he sat back glad to have finally gotten that all off his chest.

"Iz knew she waz hiddin something." Serena growled gaining their attention as she flexed her fists glaring at the ground.

"What do you mean?" Pogue asked.

Serena sighed as she looked at her friends, "Iz went ta her office hourz this week ta discuss my paper. She had ta run an errand and left me in her office for a few minutes. When she wz gone Iz noticed this book on her desk, it looked beaten pretty badly." She said holding her hand before her as if she were reaching out to touch the book in her memory.

"Iz wanted ta see what it waz and Prince came in and saw Iz waz eyeing the book and she panicked. She told mez ta forget Iz evea saw it and dat waz it." Serena grumbled.

Caleb frowned as he mulled over the professor's reaction. "Why wouldn't she want Serena to know she had a book?" he asked.

Liz shifted uncomfortably next to him, "She has something to hide in it. She has been acting weird in our private lessons lately asking me all of these weird questions."

Reid frowned at that, "What kind of questions?"

"Stuff like 'do you visit your mother often,' or 'do I have access to the Black family vault or does Alex?' things like that all of her questions usually involve my family though or more specifically my mother's family. She even asked me if I knew someone named Lucius." Liz sighed scrunching her name at the odd question.

Reid flinched as he heard the name, "Lucius as in Lucius Malfoy?" Reid asked shakily.

Liz nodded biting her lip, "Yeah that's the one. She wanted to know if I ever met him. She seemed upset that I hadn't."

Reid's frown deepened, "That's not the normal reaction people have when they realize someone doesn't know good old Lucius; usually they are relieved."

"Why?" Alex asked.

"Lucius Malfoy was a death eater and someone many believe was a member of Voldemort's inner circle. It is unusual for Prince to be upset that you never met him." Pogue explained.

"Is she working against us?" Jasmine asked suddenly looking more alert, they all did.

"It is too soon to say if she is but I think it is safe to say she is keeping something important hidden." Caleb sighed.

"Yeah something that apparently involves my family," Liz grumbled melting into Caleb's side as he wrapped an arm around her bringing her flush against him.

"Anyone else have anything to share?" Serena asked pointedly glaring at Pogue.

He frowned at her confusion dancing in his dark eyes when it suddenly dawned on him what Serena was hinting to. "Oh right, something is up with Dillings the guy is bad news."

Caleb, Reid and Tyler nodded in agreement and were surprised to see the others agree as well. "He sure does give off the dark and creepy vibe." Jasmine hummed.

"It's more than that though," Pogue sighed. "He seems to have taken a liking to the four of us that is a little too intense for my comfort."

Louise snorted from her spot on her bed, "Let me guess he is giving you private lessons as well?" She asked and the four fifth year students nodded. "Yeah we are getting them as well."

Tyler looked upset as he looked at his friends, "How come none of us knew that the rest of us were in private lessons?" He asked.

The group sat there puzzled as anxious looks came over them. Liz looked down shifting around uncomfortably, "I don't know about the rest of you but for some reason I felt like I couldn't tell the rest of you that I was. It was like I felt I had to keep it a secret or something."

Reid nodded, "I felt that way as well, but for some reason once Pogue said it out loud it was suddenly like I could."

Pogue let out a dry humorless bark of a laugh, "I felt the same way until Serena forced it out of me. She asked me why I was doing the same homework as her when suddenly I felt like I could blurt out that DIllings was giving us private lessons."

"Does that mean Dillings put the whammy on us or something?" Alex asked pouting slightly.

"Seems that way but what I can't figure out is why or how." Caleb snapped his dark eyes clouding with anger. "I am starting to get tired of people messing with our minds without us even knowing it."

"Should we go to the headmaster?" Jasmine asked softly.

"According to Dillings the headmaster is allowing him to give us private lessons." Tyler pointed out grumpily.

Liz sat up straight suddenly a twinkle in her eyes. Pogue smirked when he saw her devious mind working. "What are you thinking Black?"

"I am not sure I have to check something out first but I will get back to you all later." She said practically bouncing on her bed as she bit her lip her eyes glowing with excitement.

"Is it something bad?" Alex asked wincing at the thought.

Liz shook her head, "Not bad but not necessarily good especially if I am right."

"Well that's not cryptic." Caleb muttered looking at his girlfriend trying to stare the answer out of her.

"Can we at least have a hint?" Reid asked.

Liz bit her lip harder almost drawing blood as she fidgeted on her bed. "Well I guess I can tell you a little since it does involve all of you. I think that Dillings is trying to pit us against each other somehow and more than that I think he is the person that the staff thinks is the enemy. It all fits I mean last year they didn't think that someone on staff was up to no good but this year suddenly they do…"

Caleb nodded his eyebrows furrowing as he mulled over what she said. "It actually makes sense and I know that if any of the staff were going to smoke out a traitor it would be Plank, Prince, and Tinka."

"Why them?" Alex asked.

"Because those are the three professors that are members of the Order of Tarsus." Caleb whispered.

Alex frowned at that, "You mentioned that Order once before what the heck is it?" he asked looking to see if Liz knew but she just shrugged her shoulders.

"Crap forgot the two of you wouldn't know that," Caleb winced. "The Order of Tarsus is like one of those secret society things. Not much is known about the Order but there are some common threads among their members."

"Like what?" Alex asked.

"No one less than a half blood is let in." Pogue grumbled.

"Why? Prince never struck me as a purist." Liz asked.

"It has nothing to do with that and everything to do with core stability." Caleb said cringing when he felt Liz stiffen in his arms.

"They do some heady magic supposedly like darker than dark and for that you need to have a stable center to counter balance the unrest that you suffer when you transcend to certain planes of existence." Reid filled in smirking at Liz. "Your magical melt down isn't the same Liz your core is still stable as far as the Order is concerned. Muggle born magical beings on the other hand have a lot of risks especially when it comes to shifting magic."

"What is that?" Alex asked.

Reid shook his head, "Not important, just know that it involves being outside your own body in order to do magic. Muggle born practitioners have a hard time with that because they don't have the stable blood line centering them to this reality."

Liz nodded, "Okay I think I get it. Is that what all the pureblood hype is about?"

Louise nodded, "Dumbledore would kill someone if they ever brought up that point but it is true. There are just some spells and practices that muggle born students can't do."

"Then again Louise I doubt Dumbledore would ever let an Order member on his staff, he considers them as good as death eaters. Even if their politics are completely different and they don't murder innocents the whole pure blood/ half blood aspect really ticks him off." Reid grunted.

"Anyway back to the Order," Caleb cleared his throat gaining their attention again. "It is supposed to be like this police force of sorts, they sort of clean up magical messes that people get into."

"Like what?" Liz asked.

"Well you might have heard of them as something else Liz like say the Cleaners?" Caleb asked.

Liz frowned as she thought it over but she shook her head. Pogue rolled his eyes at Caleb looking ready to hit his best friend. "Of course she hasn't heard of them dude she hasn't done anything to warrant their attention unlike some people."

Reid and Caleb had the grace to blush at that as the guiltily ducked their heads not meeting their friends gaze. Pogue turned to Liz getting into his all knowing teacher mode. "When people mess up magic wise like big time to the point where it could reveal our secret to the world the Cleaners step in. No one knows exactly what they do but somehow the whole situation rights itself."

Tyler grinned as he looked at Caleb and Reid who had yet to look up at their friends. "Yeah take Caleb and Reid for example and their use of accidental magic."

Caleb looked at Tyler fearfully his dark eyes wide. "No man please don't tell."

"Sorry man this is too good to let go." Tyler chuckled.

"What did they do?" Louise asked.

"Well Reid was angry that his stuffed animal didn't move and talk like he wanted it to so he made his stuffed bear come to life." Tyler snickered.

"That doesn't sound so bad." Alex frowned looking at a red faced Reid who just shook his head.

"Wait until you hear the rest." Reid grumbled.

Tyler grinned when he heard he could continue his story. "Well it wouldn't have been bad if Reid didn't like to play with grownups. A small bed bear ended up being ten feet tall and weighing half a ton. Oh and since Reid wanted his bear to play with him he added a little heft to the deal and gave the bear a very Reid like personality."

"What happened?" Liz asked grinning at Reid who was hunched over trying to disappear.

"The bear ended up holding the daycare he was at hostage." Pogue snickered.

"The Cleaners had to come and fix the situation since so many people were involved." Reid admitted. "I never went back to daycare so I don't really know what the Cleaners did."

Liz suddenly smirked as she looked to Caleb who cowered away from her gaze. "So what did you do it can't be as bad as Reid I mean his teddy bear held kids hostage."

Caleb cringed looking ill, "Mine was worse I sort of wished that dinosaurs were real."

"You can't just wish something into happening." Jasmine scoffed.

Reid snickered as he looked at Caleb. "When James Danvers is your father you can especially if he has a special wishing well in his basement."

Caleb glared at his friend, "I didn't know the thing was cursed!"

"Your mom told you to stay away from it she told you that bad things would happen if you made a wish." Pogue laughed.

"Well I didn't listen and look what happened."

"What?" Alex asked grinning clearly entertained by the childhood mishap.

"I wished that they were real and then they were, like the whole world was living with dinosaurs. It was bad." Caleb shuddered.

"Yeah watching a huge lizard like thing walk down the street had to be interesting." Reid agreed.

Liz turned to Reid her brows furrowed, "Wait you don't remember what happened?"

The other three shook their heads, "Only Caleb and his mother remember it was supposed to be a lesson to them about what happens when you aren't careful what you wish for. After the Cleaners are done only the person who did it usually remembers the incident or if they were minors their parents remember as well to prevent their kid from messing up like that again."

"So no more T-Rex?" Liz asked trying not to laugh.

"No and no more well the Cleaners took that stating that my dad shouldn't have had it in the first place."

"How do you know that our professors are part of this secret society I thought the whole purpose was that it was supposed to be a secret?" Alex asked.

"See that is the beauty of all this the Order isn't keeping hidden who it has chosen what it does keep secret though is what it does. All anyone knows is that all of the members are very powerful and people you don't want to mess with."

"Score one for Salem." Louise giggled sleepily.

The room turned their attention on her and the other two walking dead making them squirm in their seats. "And now onto the real reason all of us are up here." Reid snickered when he saw Tyler flush.

Liz turned to Louise whom she sensed was more open to the interrogation than the other two. It seemed as if she were secretly craving to tell them all what was on her mind but she didn't know how to or was too afraid to. Louise looked to Liz and slowly nodded letting out a deep breath blowing the loose strands of her blonde hair out of her face.

"I have been having these weird dreams lately and I can't help but think that they are more prophecies I mean they are just too weird to be anything else." Louise said her blue eyes taking on a wild look as she stared at her friends.

"What about these dreams makes them so weird?" Caleb asked.

"I am always reading the newspaper!" She cried looking ill at the thought. "I hate the newspaper I refuse to read it knowing that it always contains half truths and petty ramblings. In my dreams though I am reading the paper and each headline gets worse and worse."

"What do they say?" Serena asked fearfully.

"They say things like, 'Another Attack' or 'Hogwarts Headmaster Suspended' and finally 'Hogwarts to Close' I mean it is weird that I am dreaming about Hogwarts right?" Louise asked.

Liz nodded her brown doe eyes wide, "Yup that is weird and I think it is safe to say Hogwarts has an enemy in their walls as well this year."


	18. Dark Whispers III

Part 17: Dark Whispers III

Heidi Prince felt them before she heard them approaching, their magical signatures were always easy to detect. Six cloaked figures moved from the shadows of her office, she would have found it creepy if she couldn't do that herself. "Thank you for coming." She said as she stood to greet her guests Plank and Tinka moving to do the same.

"Well you sounded so eager all those weeks ago we just had to come the first moment we could." A scathing rough voice growled.

"What is it that you have to show us young one?" An airy female voice asked as the six lowered their hoods. "It is not often that you sound so excited to see us."

Heidi opened her desk drawer and pulled out the leather bound journal before she handed it to the woman with shaky hands keeping her dark head down never meeting their gaze. The six looked darkly at the book as the woman's olive hands reached out to take the book from her grasp. They looked young no older than thirty but the power pulsing from within them hinted at otherwise; these six were old very old.

"Is this supposed to mean something to us?" The woman asked haughtily.

"The ledger from the Order of Darakna." Heidi whispered.

The six froze before the three professors staring darkly at the book before them. "They really do exist." A dark voice rasped out as his hand ghosted over the leather cover. "We always had our suspicions that this Order existed there were just too many elements in the last war that did not add up, but to find documentation…"

"Sir, the ledger contains names and plans and careful details of all that they did. Sir many of the people who are in Azkaban are on the list." Heidi whispered.

Plank cleared his throat from next to Heidi never looking the six directly in the eye. "I have a theory about that." He whispered.

"Yes Plank?" A man rasped.

"I believe that Dumbledore knew of the other Order's existence and had those all imprisoned, in his eyes they would have been working against him. All but three on the list are either dead or in prison and they all hold public ministry positions that Dumbledore cannot touch." Plank said.

"That man has always been manipulative; it is only here in the States where we seem to be able to get away from his influence. This school is the only place he cannot touch." A woman growled.

"Not for lack of trying." Tinka hummed.

Plank nodded rolling his eyes, "That man will stop at nothing to make sure that we don't inform our students of the Dark Arts he seems to think we are breeding future dark lords rather than trying to prevent them from existing by teaching our students what all is out there and the dangers that come with them. Why hide something when they are just going to turn around and go seek it themselves and put themselves and others in danger while doing so?" Plank snapped.

Heidi laughed darkly remembering her old school days. "Dumbledore has never heard of the old saying of make something forbidden to a child and they shall seek it, let them explore freely and they will learn control."

A man in the group nodded, "The young are often hasty and curious that curiosity should be encouraged to be healthy what he encourages is dark emersion into something that they are not ready for."

Prince rolled her eyes letting out a disgusted snort. "If the genius thought of that when Tom was in school all of this might have been prevented."

"He has always been blinded by his beliefs his view of this world is too black and white, that is why we never offered him a position with us." The man at the front of the six sighed as he took the book and flipped through it. "This will be most helpful Heidi thank you for finding it you have once again proven to be invaluable to our cause."

"Now what of the students that you three have been telling us about?" A woman asked her dark blue eyes sparkling in the fire light.

Across the school several students from two different dorms were hulled up in the girl's room. Alex looked at his watch and let out a squeak. "Ah Reid, Tyler we need to get to our dorm like now we have curfew in three." Alex said as the other two bolted upright.

"Damn," Tyler groaned "Why can't we all just sleep here?"

"Because while the headmaster might allow us to spend time in other dorms during the day he frowns upon our sleeping in other dorms." Reid said.

Reid helped lug Tyler up as the group walked their friends out of the room and out of the dorm. "Watch your backs out there." Caleb whispered glaring at the dark corridors. "Who knows what is watching you."

Alex nodded as he pulled out his wand. If someone had told him in his first year at Salem that there would ever be a time when he didn't feel safe walking in the school at night he would have laughed at them; Salem is supposed to be one of the safest places in the world. Now he was beginning to understand, no place was truly safe.

Caleb watched as they rounded the corner before he closed the dorm door one of the seventh years eyeing him carefully. "You sense it too?" the seventh year asked the quiet of the common room pressing down on them as everyone stared at the two. "That something is not right?" He asked.

Liz looked around and noticed that the rest of the common room seemed to share those sentiments. "We have." Pogue agreed.

"My mom said a war is coming," A small first year whispered from a high back chair in front of the fire. "She said that this was the deep breaths before the plunge the unsettling quiet. She said it is just like last time."

"I am sure that there is nothing to worry about yet." Jasmine whispered clinging fearfully to Louise.

The seventh year shook his head darkly his blonde hair falling into his eyes. "We all know that something is wrong, it looks like we are all going to have to sit back and see what the damage will be this time."

Liz clutched Caleb's hand tightly in her own not liking the sound of that. Caleb pulled her close as he spared one last look at the seventh year before he slowly dragged Liz up to his room. Pogue glanced at him and nodded confusing Caleb. Pogue rolled his eyes obviously reading Caleb's expression correctly as he mouthed 'conversation' to his friend before he turned his attention back to Serena. Caleb shook his head and continued on upstairs not knowing if he wanted to get into that tonight when they were clearly running on empty.

Liz walked right into his room and made her way to his bed. He knew that most people would find it odd that Liz knew exactly where his bed was and was so comfortable simply going and laying down on it but they had been friends since his third year it wasn't exactly her first time in his room or on his bed. Now though he was defiantly not thinking friendly platonic thoughts towards her and the sight of her on his bed did more to his teenage mind than he could handle.

Caleb shook his head, "Bad Caleb stop picturing her naked." He hissed gaining her attention.

"What did you say?" she asked propping herself up on her elbows to stare at him as he tried to answer her.

"Nothing just complaining about my roommate's lack of cleaning abilities," He said as he slid onto the bed next to her trying to banish all bad thoughts from his head. He had to tell himself that she had just turned fourteen a few days ago that she was nowhere near ready for sex but it seemed as though his body had a mind of its own.

"Tyler and Reid are worse every time I enter their dorm I want to clean." Liz said shuddering slightly.

"You have been in their room?" Caleb asked not wanting to read too much into that.

"A few times sadly though I never wish to enter Reid's room again. If his mom didn't make him clean his room at home the place would look like a Nargual's den." Liz shuddered sticking her tongue out in distaste.

"Well at least you were repulsed by their rooms." He hummed blushing when he realized she had heard him.

"You were upset that I had been in their rooms?" Liz asked cuddling up to him as she tried not to laugh.

"Maybe a little," He sighed pulling her farther on top of him the way he liked to rest when it was just the two of them. There was just something comforting about having the slight weight of her on him that made him feel all warm and tingly inside.

"Caleb that's silly they are like brothers to me." She laughed kissing his jaw up to his ear nuzzling the sensitive spot she found below his ear making him shiver.

"Tyler kissing you on your bed this summer didn't exactly look like a brother sister relationship to me." He grumbled before he captured her lips unable to resist any longer. He loved that she tasted just as she smelled, like sweet ripe strawberries. Caleb moved his hand up her back along her spine the way he knew she liked as he tangled his hand in her hair pressing her mouth closer to his. He sucked her lower lip into his mouth licking the spot just below the ripe pink flesh making her whimper; his eyes nearly rolled into the back of his head when he heard that he wanted to her it again and again as he brought her higher on his chest rolling her so that his weight now partially rested on her.

Her small little hands fisted in his shirt trailing across his back as she tried to raise herself to be closer to him. Caleb groaned when he felt her lips attach to his neck the need to be closer to her intensified as his traitorous hands wandered under the hem of her shirt eagerly seeking her warm promising skin. He trailed kisses down her slender neck stopping to nibble the spot he knew would draw out a moan from her and was rewarded with the breathy sound spurring him on. Liz's legs moved up and down his as he hoisted one of her small legs up over his hip bringing her even closer to him to his delight. She felt so good moving and whimpering beneath him he never wanted to stop.

"Oh Merlin!" Pogue yelled slapping his hands to his eyes turning away as Liz and Caleb stilled. Caleb looked down and gasped when he realized he had Liz's shirt pushed up under her arms and the clasp of her bra unhooked, he didn't even remember doing that.

Liz blushed tomato red when she realized the position her leg was in and that it was Pogue who had found them. Caleb sat up slowly trying not to draw attention to an excited part of his body as Liz adjusted her bra and top. "You can look Pogue." Liz sighed as the tall witch slowly turned around looking mildly ill.

"That was a sight I could have gone forever without not that you aren't a dish Lizzie but seriously seeing Caleb grind into you not a pretty picture." Pogue grinned watching as Liz turned an interesting shade of purple while Caleb scowled at him.

Liz shook her head at him as she kissed Caleb's cheeks whispering him a goodnight forcing him to stay when he tried to follow her. She chuckled at the pout on his face kissing his swollen lips one last time before she made her way out of the boys dorm. "So I take it your conversation went well." Pogue chuckled.

Caleb ran a shaky hand through his hair and shook his head. "Never got around to it man I just saw her on my bed and then it all just snapped."

"Yeah I know that feeling," Pogue chuckled.

"I really need to talk to her," He sighed and Pogue nodded.

"And we need to come up with a system so that next time you are getting it on with Lizzie I won't be subjected to the sight of you thrusting at her." Pogue groaned scrubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands.

"I was not!"

"Dude you so were I want to puke the only saving grace to the sight was Lizzie's chest. Who knew the little munchkin was packin a rack like that?" Pogue laughed his body shaking harder at Caleb's murderous glare.

"Watch is Parry!"

"Just saying! Seriously though man talk to her so that if something like this does happen again you will know if she is okay with it or not. Though from what I saw she was more than okay with what you were doing."

"You're right," Caleb sighed as he changed into his night pants. "I really do need to talk to her."


	19. Dark Whispers IV

**A/N: Hi guys! I cannot tell you how sorry I am that I have not posted lately I just forgot to update which is very stupid of me. I have the next several parts written and I WILL REMEMBER to post them since I have a note now on the days I intend to post for this story. So thank you all who have left reviews I have been getting them! with that said, please let me know what you think of this new part.**

**Ansley**

Part 18: Dark Whispers IV

Liz's third year seemed to be rushing by faster than she had anticipated. Between school work, extra lessons and her private research project into Dillings, time seemed to evaporate right before her eyes. Tomorrow was the start of the winter holidays and the day Liz and Serena were due to portkey with Professor Prince to Bulgaria for the International dueling competition.

Caleb grinned when he saw Liz stumble into the common room with Serena in tow after a last minute dueling session with Prince. "Have fun?" he asked as she quickly sat down next to him cuddling into his side.

"We have uniforms," Liz grumbled her voice muffled by his shirt.

"What kind of uniforms?" Caleb asked trying not to laugh as Liz groaned.

"Theyz are black dueling outfitz wit da Salem emblem on our right arm." Serena said.

"I can't wait to see that," Caleb laughed. Liz looked up at him with bright eyes the corners of her lips twitching.

"You're going to the tournament?"

Caleb nodded grinning down at her. "When my mom found out you and Serena were competing she bought tickets, all of us are going to watch you."

Pogue laughed at Liz's deliriously happy look, "Reid is taking bets on who is going to win or lose."

"You know the other competitors?" Liz asked and Pogue nodded.

"Only the people in your division though I had dad look into the roster," Pogue said ducking his head sheepishly.

Serena perked up at that as she looked at her boyfriend slyly. "Care to share Parry?"

Caleb chuckled as he watched Liz and Serena lean forward eagerly waiting for inside information. "Well from what I saw of the roster you are fighting against people who are familiar with each other's fighting styles you two are wild cards and people are going to be anxious to see how you put a kink in their defenses," Pogue chuckled.

"Well who are they?" Liz asked rolling her wand between her fingers unconsciously.

"Fleur Delacour from France, Desdemona Orilias from Italy, Ulf Winavocik of Romania, Victor Krum the Bulgarian brute, and Cedric Diggory from the United Kingdom. They are all fifth years and amazing duelists."

Liz's doe eyes widened comically as she anticipated fighting students two levels above her. "Relax Liz you are more than qualified to go against them," Caleb sighed. "Your real competition is going to be Krum and Diggory. Krum fights dirty and is great at finding spells that go through shields he can thank his headmaster for that little trick. Diggory on the other hand fights fair but don't let that fool you he is quick,"

Pogue scoffed rolling his eyes at his friend. "Caleb, Diggory is more than just quick he is practically a walking defense text book he knows more spells than most adults."

"So da good boy iz very bad," Serena giggled.

"He is a Hufflepuff Serena," Pogue chuckled watching as her nose scrunched in disgust.

Liz looked between the three confused feeling as though she was missing something. "What is a Hufflepuff?"

"Sorry Lizzie I forgot you don't know what the houses of Hogwarts are." Pogue chuckled as he pulled a pouting Serena into his lap.

Caleb rolled his eyes at his friend before his dark eyes flickered back to his girlfriend. "Hogwarts is made up of four houses like Salem expect theirs are much more segregated. The houses are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Gryffindors are reckless idiots, Slytherins cunning snakes, Ravenclaws are book driven brains, and Hufflepuffs are smart kids but for the most part they are afraid of their own shadows."

"Having Slytherins after them all the time doesn't help." Pogue laughed.

Pogue stood up throwing Serena over his shoulder like a sack of potato's ignoring her squeal of surprise as she swatted her backside. "Well we have some work to do, good night children." Pogue said as his dark eyes stared darkly at Caleb.

Caleb nodded his head seeming to get the message as Liz looked between them confused. "What was that look for?" She asked.

Caleb gave her his bashful smile as he stood up and held out his hand for her. "Nothing, come on let's go to your room."

Liz grabbed his hand giggling when he hoisted her up quickly hurtling her into his chest. Caleb dragged her up the stairs mentally thanking Merlin that Louise and Jasmine were sound sleepers as he silently pushed Liz onto her bed drawing the curtains around her bed as he put a silencing charm around her bed.

Liz raised an eyebrow at the spell and he felt the heat rise to his cheeks. "Don't exactly want them to hear us. Knowing my luck this would be the one time that Louise and Jasmine don't sleep like the living dead."

Liz laughed at his sheepish shrug. "Planning on doing something to me Danvers that you don't want the others to hear?" She asked as he slid down next to her curling her into his side pulling more of her slender body onto him.

"Eventually but first I need to ask you something," he whispered trying not to stumble as his heart raced.

Her doe eyes swung up to meet his, "About what?"

"Liz lately the two of us have been getting a lot more physical and I was wondering how far you were willing to go." He rushed out as a mortified red flush took over his face.

Liz lay there stunned as her hand gripped his outer robes in a tight fist. "Ah well this is unexpected," She muttered.

"I know but I just don't want to do anything with you Liz that you are going to regret, it would kill me." Caleb whispered brushing his hand against the side of her face as he let his fingers tangle in her hair.

"Well," she sighed. "To be honest I have been fine with what we have done so far and I think I would be comfortable with going farther but I know I am not ready for actually having sex right now." She said blushing slightly as he grinned down at her.

"Yeah I don't think I am ready for that either," he admitted.

"So everything but sex?" she asked.

Caleb thought about it and nodded as a sly look came over his handsome face. "Does this mean I get to still cop a feel?"

Liz nodded giggling at his giddy look, "You can cop a feel anytime you want Danvers," she giggled kissing his temple as her lips moved to his ear. "And then some."

The next morning students and staff were bustling around Salem hurrying to get to the train to head home for the holidays. Students shouted and waved at Liz and Serena who stood in their dueling outfits by the stairs the onyx floor reflecting their image. Liz and Serena were shocked to learn that morning just how many students and staff were going to the competition wanting to show Liz and Serena support. Heidi Prince was just excited that she was going to be able to show off her two best students.

Plank sneered as he watched Prince bounce around the two students. "Do control yourself Heidi you look like a child doing that," Plank grumbled, "Although a dog might be a better description."

"Sorry I am just so excited I can't wait to pit Liz and Serena against Flitwick's champion and Karkaroff's little devil."

Plank sighed rolling his eyes knowing that talking her into being calm was useless at this point; once she was high there was no coming down for hours. Liz gently tugged at her robes feeling uncomfortable. The top part hugged their bodies tightly like a top while the bottom of the dueling robes flared out like a skirt. Liz sighed as she looked down glad that it wasn't a dress that she could wear pants that peaked out from the front of her robes.

"Dude these feel more like shirts with a train attached to um." Serena grumbled as she tried to cover her legs. "I'z hate wearin pants!"

Liz giggled knowing that was a true sign of a magical upbringing. "Serena you wear pants all the time." Liz said.

"Yeah but thatz under robes where no one can see dum or just around you guyz. I don't like strange people lookin at my legz."

Caleb, Pogue, Reid, Tyler, Alex, Jasmine and Louise stopped in front of their two friends grinning. "So you two excited?" Louise asked.

"Nervous is the dominant feeling right now," Liz muttered.

"Don't be you two will do great I can't wait to see you mop the floor with that snot Ulf." Reid grinned, Liz could have sworn her friend was fighting the urge to rub his hands together evilly at the thought.

"We'll do our best," Liz mumbled as Caleb pulled her into a hug.

"Don't worry sweetie you will do fine," He whispered leaning down for a kiss.

Liz sighed as she felt him pull away a pout pulling at her lips. "When are you going to get there?" She asked as he moved to stand next to the others.

"Mom and I are portkeying out right when we get back home. We are dropping my trunk off and then we are out of there."

Reid chuckled as Liz looked mollified. "Don't worry Lizzie we aren't going to let you and Serena suffer alone. My dad is itching to watch the two of you fight."

"Alright you all," Plank growled, "get to the trains you are holding people up."

The group quickly said goodbye to their two friends and then Liz and Serena were left alone in Salem with Heidi Prince and Headmaster Krane.

Krane glided up to the group his blonde hair pulled impressively back as he stood in a more formal version of the robes the girls were wearing. "Ready everyone?" He asked smiling at his two students who were practically shaking with fear.

"Yes sir," they said as they followed him to his office. He opened the impressive door leading to his office reveling Mr. and Mrs. Cornwall and Serena's brother waiting to travel. Liz sighed feeling defeated when she realized her father wasn't there. He had originally told her he was going to go but Nancy had been feeling off lately and he didn't want to leave.

Ryan Garwin cleared his throat and Liz looked up with a gasp shocked to see the grinning blonde standing before her. "You didn't really think we were going to let you go on your own now did you?" Ryan asked hugging the girl to him.

"Yes," she sighed feeling foolish.

Headmaster Krane smirked at Ryan as he held out a cane with a silver skull atop it. "Grab on everyone," Krane said as the group placed their hands along the can.

Liz gasped as she felt the pulling in her navel a she felt the air expel from her as the spinning started; soon she was landing hard on her feet in a gray field. "Velcome to Bulgaria," a man said as he stood before the assembled group in very dignified red and white robes.

The adults bowed and motioned for Liz, Serena and her brother to do the same. "Thank you for having us Minister," Krane drawled as he stood back up at his impressive height.

The Bulgarian Minister of magic turned to the two girls and Heidi. "Champions are to report to the Volakian building Vorin will take you. Guests of champions will please proceed to the induction arena." Others soon portkeyed in and the Minister went to greet them.

"Good luck Lizzie!" Ryan Garwin said kissing the crown of her head. "You too Rena."

"Thanks!" They called as they said goodbye to Serena's family and their headmaster who were going to take their seats and wait for the others to arrive.

"Professor how large is this going to be exactly?" Liz asked as she heard a strange rushing sound in the distance.

"Almost as large as the Quiditch World Cup."

Serena's eyes widened and Liz gulped. "Wow this is going to suck." Liz whispered and Serena nodded.

Vorin led the three girls into the large building and down several halls to a large room where several teens were sitting around looking nervous. "Your division champions." Vorin growled before he turned and left.

"Chatty," Serena chuckled knocking shoulders with Liz.

"Vou must be de Salem Champions." A thick brute of a boy said as he stood bowing at the girls.

"Victor Krum this is Elizabeth Black and Serena Cornwall." Heidi introduced.

Liz noticed a tall man by the fire freeze as his eyes flickered to her. He stroked his grey beard as his eyes narrowed at her. "Pleasure." Krum greeted before he went back to his position next to the calculating man.

The others in the room stared at the two girls but never made a move to greet them. A tall woman marched into the room in all her imposing glory as she scowled at them. She looked around the room before she spoke, "Now that all the champions are here we can begin." She said motioning for everyone to take a seat.

"Today is the start of the competition, in two hours you will be presented to the spectators and then you will draw for pairings. Round one is today, two are three tomorrow, and the final match the next day. Champions will be announced on the third day, good luck." She growled before she swept out of the room.

"Friendly," Serena grumbled.

"For the Duchess that is friendly," an English boy said grinning shyly at the girls as a small man bounced beside him.

"Duchess?" Liz asked looking to Heidi.

"The Bulgarian Duchess," the boy explained. "She means well but she is known for being rather distant."

"Thanks for the info…" Serena eyed him asking for his name.

"Cedric, Cedric Diggory."

"Ah nice to meet you." Liz said.

The little man chuckled next to Cedric. Heidi grinned coldly at the man, "Hello Professor Flitwick," she called softly.

"Ah Heidi my dear how wonderful to see you." The little man chuckled gleefully.

"How did you get two dueling champions out of your school?" The strong glaring man asked Heidi who sneered at him.

"Salem emphasizes their dueling program and I was gifted with two spectacular students." She growled.

The Duchess came back into the room glaring at the moving occupants. "Champions are to get ready the introduction will commence in half an hour."


End file.
